After a disappointing end to Jordan Love’s second season at the helm of the Green Bay Packers’ offense, Brian Gutekunst and the front office’s to-do list is looking a bit longer than expected.
The fanbase and media have supplied their fair share of pressure, but so has Josh Jacobs. Fresh off a standout first season in green and gold, Green Bay’s star running back was open about the team’s need for a true No. 1 receiver and “like three” more key pieces overall. Cornerback and return specialist Keisean Nixon is frequently outspoken on Twitter and seems to agree. He made some recruiting pitches of his own. He went as far as to make an anti-recruiting pitch to Deebo Samuel, who the San Francisco 49ers want to trade this offseason.
Earlier this week, news broke that the 2025 cap is expected to land at around $280 million, an approximately 10% boost from $255.4 million last season. The league’s ever-increasing popularity has enabled a steady increase in the cap over the years. Agents will undoubtedly command a given percentage of the cap in response to the changing market. Still, the already-flexible Packers will have even more firepower heading into the spring.
Another piece of news coming out of Green Bay is the growing pessimism about the status of star cornerback Jaire Alexander. The team has been frustrated by his lack of availability over the past few seasons, and a divorce is likely on the horizon. That would leave a gaping void at one of the highest-value positions on the roster. Nixon, who has specialized in the slot but struggled, will return alongside Carrington Valentine and potentially Eric Stokes.
That room is missing an alpha in a division featuring Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and D.J. Moore. The Packers also need a CB2 that existed before tensions between Alexander and the team boiled over. As an organization with a traditionalist and rigid ideology, Gutekunst has continued Ted Thompson‘s draft-and-develop approach and prioritization of premium positions.
In signing Jacobs on the open market while passing on first-round receivers every year, the Packers demonstrated that their value of different positions doesn’t align fully with the media’s perception of them. But make no mistake, edge rusher and cornerback will be atop this offseason’s checklist. They may heed Jacobs’ advice and go get a receiver, but Tee Higgins will have an aggressive market. Many roads seem to be leading to a reunion with Davante Adams, although we know the cinematic aspect of it will carry little weight with the front office.
The list of what Gutekunst’s extra cash can buy is quite long. If we start from the top, there are trade-and-extend possibilities on the edge market, like Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby. There’s also a deep free-agent class that rounds out the position with the likes of Khalil Mack and Haason Reddick.
The market isn’t as deep at cornerback. D.J. Reed and Charvarius Ward headline the class, but a smattering of iffy veterans follow them. If Alexander becomes fully available, he will top the list. Given his contract, he won’t command a significant return.
The Philadelphia Eagles look like a bonafide juggernaut, the San Francisco 49ers will reload against a last-place schedule, and the Detroit Lions will return their core. Suddenly, the NFC has become a crowded place to emerge as a contender. The story of Green Bay’s 2024 season was that they were on the outside looking in. Moving forward, the story will be about how Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur can equip Love with enough firepower on both sides of the ball to go from good to great.
Jacobs, Jayden Reed, and Tucker Kraft feel like the only skill-position locks to be integral parts of that journey. Defensively, safety Xavier McKinney and standout rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper are the only sure things, with returning stars Kenny Clark, Rashan Gary, and Alexander posting underwhelming seasons.
There is a lot to get done between now and next fall. Luckily, the Packers have a lot of money to get it done with.
