To suggest the 2018 NFL season has been a disappointment for the Green Bay Packers is quite the understatement. The Packers were preseason Super Bowl contenders to pretty much anyone who talked football and getting a healthy Aaron Rodgers back in the fold was a huge reason why.
Green Bay drafted well, got aggressive in free agency with additions like Jimmy Graham and Muhammad Wilkerson and shed dead weight like Jordy Nelson from their roster. On paper, they improved.
Better than expected moves made Green Bay a viable wager on the best NFL betting sites, but their value in the sports betting world didn’t last long.
It was promising enough during a 3-2-1 start, but the foundation in Green Bay crumbled. An ugly stretch and a 0-6 record on the road got 13-year head coach Mike McCarthy fired. Suddenly that viable title threat is on the hunt for a new shot-caller.
Landing a new big name to manage the team from the sidelines isn’t the only thing the Packers need to do, though. Green Bay’s subpar roster was grossly exposed when Aaron Rodgers got hurt in 2017 and even with him on the field this year, Green Bay’s talent simply hasn’t been up to par.
Don’t get me wrong; there have been some nice pieces to build with. The offense found a running back in Aaron Jones, Davante Adams has turned into a true number one receiver and rookie defensive back Jaire Alexander looks like a star in the making.
All of that is good, but the Packers need to be bolder come free agency. There is going to be a lot of tantalizing talent available to the highest bidder and a good amount of it could be used well in Green Bay.
Some stars will be tagged by their respective franchises, some will be poor fits for the Packers and others will simply price themselves out of Green Bay. But there is absolutely a handful that could give the Packers a boost and/or Green Bay should be looking to bring in.
Green Bay has a decent chunk of change to spend in free agency, making the following five players interesting priorities once the offseason rolls around:
