The Green Bay Packers have already had an exciting offseason, managing to bring back superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers on a massive contract while assigning the franchise tag to wide receiver Davante Adams. Now that general manager Brian Gutekunst has retained the two best players on the roster, it's time to look forward to free agency.
The Packers will be looking to upgrade the roster to a Super Bowl level with the little cap space they have heading into free agency. Avoiding bad contracts is hugely important here, as a couple of bad signings could hamper Green Bay for years to come.
Here are two free agents the Packers must avoid signing this offseason.
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2 Free Agents The Packers Must Avoid Signing
At first glance, bringing Douglas back to the Packers seems like a great idea. He had a great season for Green Bay in 2021, and the Packers need depth at cornerback. However, this signing wouldn't be a good one for the Packers. Douglas had a career season in Green Bay, and he's only 26. That means he'll be looking to sign an expensive multi-year deal with a team that can pay him like a number one corner.
Before this year, Douglas was a journeyman defensive back who couldn't really stick with any team. Overpaying for a potential one-year wonder seems like a good way to burn what little money Green Bay will have available this season.
There are plenty of superior options for the Packers at cornerback. Nik Needham of the Miami Dolphins has proven himself to be a decent backup during his time in South Beach, and could be willing to sign somewhere for cheap. Eli Apple, everyone's favorite cornerback, should also be willing to take on a small deal somewhere away from the Cincinnati Bengals.
Either of those guys would be decent backup cornerbacks for a Packers defense that was racked with injuries last season.
The Packers have been looking for wide receiver help for years now, but AJ Green isn't the answer. Green had a surprisingly good season for the Arizona Cardinals last season, but he'll also be 34 years old by the time the regular season rolls around. His skill set also doesn't really match what the Packers are likely looking for from their wide receivers. Both Davante Adams and Allen Lazard are big guys capable of physically dominating opposing cornerbacks. Green Bay is missing a true deep threat on offense, a description that no longer applies to Green.
Another former Arizona Cardinal would be a better fit for this offense. Christian Kirk is set to hit the open market, giving the Packers a near-ideal free agent option at receiver. Kirk has top-end speed and has already proven himself to be a capable deep threat. Keelan Cole of the New York Jets is another intriguing prospect. Cole has shown some flashes of solid play throughout his career, but he's been cursed by terrible quarterback play. Matching Cole with Rodgers could give him the right environment to succeed.
