The Green Bay Packers entered the offseason with 17 free agents , including unrestricted, restricted, and exclusive-rights ones. Now, every one of them has signed with a new team in the NFL. The only one remaining was safety Rudy Ford, but he agreed to a deal with the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday.
A sixth-round pick in 2017, Ford has already played for the Arizona Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles, and Jacksonville Jaguars. He initially signed with the Packers in 2022 and spent two years in Green Bay.
In 2022, he played 43% of the defensive snaps and 25% of the special teams snaps. Last season, he became a full-time starter, playing 73% of the defensive snaps and 15% on special teams.
Ford was a useful piece in 2023, finishing the season with a 69.9 PFF grade, including 72.9 in coverage and two interceptions. He allowed a 30.1 passer rating when targeted.
The signing was made in August, so Rudy Ford won’t count for the Packers compensatory pick formula in 2025. According to Over the Cap, Green Bay is expected to receive only a seventh-round pick for losing Yosh Nijman to the same Panthers. The losses of Darnell Savage and Jon Runyan were compensated by the signings of Xavier McKinney and Josh Jacobs.
Turnover at safety
The Packers decided to rebuild the safety position in 2024. Therefore, they allowed Darnell Savage, Jonathan Owens, and Rudy Ford to walk in free agency. On the other hand, they signed Xavier McKinney and drafted Javon Bullard, Evan Williams, and Kitan Oladapo. The only safety with a significant amount of defensive snaps kept from last year was former seventh-round pick Anthony Johnson Jr.
List of Packers free agents in 2024
UFA
- CB Corey Ballentine (Green Bay Packers)
- TE Tyler Davis (Green Bay Packers)
- RB AJ Dillon (Green Bay Packers)
- CB Keisean Nixon (Green Bay Packers)
- LB Kristian Welch (Green Bay Packers)
- LB Eric Wilson (Green Bay Packers)
- TE Josiah Deguara (Jacksonville Jaguars)
- T Yosh Nijman (Carolina Panthers)
- S Jonathan Owens (Chicago Bears)
- G Jon Runyan Jr. (New York Giants)
- S Darnell Savage (Jacksonville Jaguars)
- S Rudy Ford (Carolina Panthers)
RFA
- CB Robert Rochell (Green Bay Packers) - he wasn't tendered and signed back with the Packers as a UFA
- RB Patrick Taylor (New England Patriots)
ERFA
- T Caleb Jones (Green Bay Packers)
- P Daniel Whelan (Green Bay Packers)
- RB Emanuel Wilson (Green Bay Packers)
Street free agents
Even though every player whose contract with the Packers expired after the 2023 season has signed a deal elsewhere, there are still some players whom Green Bay released without a new team. That list most notably includes tackle David Bakhtiari, but also players like quarterback Alex McGough and fullback Henry Pearson.
