Free agency is off and running for the Green Bay Packers. General manager Brian Gutekunst has used the legal tampering period and the start of the new league year to start shaping his roster for the 2022 NFL season.
Here’s a breakdown of every move involving the Packers in free agency, with live updates coming after every new move:
Contract extension for OLB Preston Smith
The four-year extension is nothing short of a win-win for the team and player. The Packers are retaining a valuable and reliable player at a premium position while also drastically lowering his cap number in 2022 on a team-friendly new deal. Smith, meanwhile, gets money up front and some long-term security as a reward for his impressive season. After producing a career-high 62 pressures and playing well against the run in 2021, Smith earned a new deal. He doesn’t turn 30 until November and has missed just one game in seven professional seasons, making the investment far less risky. His return gives the Packers a highly capable veteran starter opposite star rusher Rashan Gary.
Release OLB Za’Darius Smith
With Smith’s cap number approaching $28 million in 2022, the Packers had few other options for getting under the cap without taking him off the books. The end result was a release, which saved the Packers over $15 million. One of the best defensive players in football in 2019 and an All-Pro in 2020, Smith missed all but one game in 2021 with a back injury that required surgery. The issue is a legitimate concern moving forward, especially for a pass-rusher. The emergence of Rashan Gary and retaining Preston Smith made this move easier to make, but there’s no discounting what the Packers are losing. When healthy, few rushers in football are more disruptive from the inside and outside as Smith, who produced 26 sacks and 60 quarterback hits in his first two seasons in Green Bay. He’ll get a good deal elsewhere.
Released OL Billy Turner
A minor surprise, but the Packers released Turner with a failed physical designation, so, like Za’Darius Smith, there’s an injury and cost factor at play here. Turner was a warrior for the Packers over three seasons, playing right guard, right tackle and left tackle at a high level. His versatility – especially his ability to play tackle on both sides – was incredibly valuable and should make him an attractive player on the open market. The Packers likely saw the emergence of Yosh Nijman in 2021 and the expected return of Elgton Jenkins – who could be the long-term future at right tackle – and deemed Turner expendable. The move saved less than $3 million on the cap. The flexibility of the Packers’ offensive line takes a big hit here. Turner will be missed, especially if Nijman struggles or injuries hit the offensive line hard in 2022.
Re-sign LB De’Vondre Campbell
The Packers retained their first-team All-Pro linebacker on a deal that will pay him $10 million per season and have a cap number of under $5 million in 2022. Losing Campbell after he finally fixed the team’s perpetual problem at inside linebacker would have been a big blow, especially considering how many big plays he made and how he helped the Packers defense get better against the run and at covering intermediate areas of the field. He can run, he doesn’t miss tackles and he blossomed as a playmaker in Joe Barry’s defense. Keeping Campbell gives the Packers defense a chance to be good again in 2022. This is an all-in move for a team that is keeping open its Super Bowl window.
Contract extension for QB Aaron Rodgers
The biggest piece of the offseason puzzle. Rodgers’ return was no longer in doubt, but the structuring of his contract was still a mystery, and the four-time MVP didn’t actually sign the deal until Tuesday. Now, we know Rodgers is locked in for at least the next two seasons and possibly three. This is a strong commitment from both the player and team. The Packers were willing to pay huge money up front and take on big dead cap hits in future years to drastically lower Rodgers’ cap number in 2022 and allow Brian Gutekunst to put a title-contending roster around him. The drama is now over. Rodgers is a Packer, and will likely retire as a Packer. All that’s left is winning another title.
Restricted tender for WR Allen Lazard
An expected move, given Lazard’s rise as a do-it-all receiver in Matt LaFleur’s offense. The tender will cost a little under $4 million in 2022, but the Packers can lower that number by adding void years or signing him to a long-term deal. Lazard can play any of the receiver positions and is a valuable blocker from multiple alignments. His production blew up late in 2021 when he started making contested catches regularly. For the most part, the Packers scheme does a terrific job scheming him open as a secondary target. Most importantly, Lazard has earned the trust of the quarterback.
Lose LB Oren Burks to 49ers
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Burks never lived up to his billing as a hyped third-round pick, but he stuck around for four years in Green Bay because he thrived on special teams and slowly developed into a more well-rounded player defensively. In 2021, he led the Packers in special teams snaps and was on the field for over 200 defensive snaps, both at inside and outside linebacker. He’s headed to San Francisco. The 49ers aren’t getting a game-changer, but Burks has value in his role. He was just never able to translate his size and athleticism into a legitimate role on defense. Moving forward, Rich Bisaccia and the Packers special teams will have to replace a core member.
Lose OL Lucas Patrick to Bears
(AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
Combining Patrick’s departure with Turner’s release delivers a blow to the Packers’ depth and versatility on the offensive line. Both played multiple positions for offensive line coach Adam Stenavich over the last three seasons. Patrick’s value is on the inside, where he can play all three of the interior positions. He was better at right guard in 2020 than at center in 2021, but he’s serviceable at each spot and valuable as a super-sub behind starters. will get a chance to start in Chicago under former Packers assistant Luke Getsy.
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