The Green Bay Packers will almost certainly dip into free agency this offseason. The only question is how deep they’ll go.

Will they go all in? With enough salary cap flexibility, they have the ability to compete for one of the top free agents on the market.

Or will they take a more measured approach? They could focus on bargain-bin signings or target underrated players who can provide value without breaking the bank.

If they decide to go the value route, here are five underrated free agents the Packers should consider.

1. Patrick Mekari, Offensive Guard

The Packers have several paths to upgrading their interior offensive line this offseason. They could re-sign Josh Myers and run it back with Elgton Jenkins, Myers, and Sean Rhyan from left to right.

They could also let Myers walk, shift Jenkins, Rhyan, or Zach Tom to center, and start 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan.

Or, they could look to free agency for reinforcements.

If Green Bay wants to spend big, Drew Dalman is the top center available and would be a great fit. But if they’re looking for a more affordable option, Patrick Mekari could be a smart, cost-effective signing.

Mekari isn’t an option at center, meaning the Packers would still need to shift one of their in-house linemen to the middle. But his ability to play both guard and tackle makes him an intriguing versatile depth piece—something Green Bay always values in their offensive linemen.

Signing Mekari would also raise questions about Jordan Morgan’s role. The Packers drafted him in the first round in 2024 with the expectation that he’d provide positional flexibility, similar to Mekari.

If they sign a veteran like Mekari, it could signal concerns about Morgan’s readiness or indicate that Green Bay wants more competition along the offensive line.

Regardless, adding Mekari would give the Packers another reliable lineman who could plug in at multiple spots, providing valuable depth and insurance at a critical position.

3. Chauncey Golston, Defensive End

Internal improvement will be critical for the Packers next season. While they need more production from veterans like Rashan Gary and Kenny Clark—both among the highest-paid players on the roster—they also need young players to take the next step.

Devonte Wyatt had flashes in 2024, showing more ability to pressure quarterbacks and disrupt plays in the backfield. But those moments were too inconsistent, often surrounded by stretches of invisibility.

The Packers now have to decide on his fifth-year option, and there’s a real chance they decline it if they aren’t confident in his development.

Lukas Van Ness is also entering a critical season. His athletic traits are undeniable, but he remains technically raw, now two years into his NFL career. The Packers need him to develop a more refined skill set and translate his physical gifts into consistent production.

While waiting for internal growth, Green Bay should add proven pass-rushing help—and Chauncey Golston is an intriguing option.

At 6-foot-5, 268 pounds, Golston has the ideal frame for a defensive end and is coming off a career year. In 2024, he posted 5.5 sacks and 18 pressures, both career highs.

He’s an ascending player, something the Packers prioritize in free agency, and at just 26 years old, his best football should still be ahead of him.

Adding Golston would give the Packers more depth and rotational versatility on the defensive line while allowing young players like Van Ness and Wyatt time to develop without being forced into bigger roles before they’re ready.

4. Nate Hobbs, Cornerback

The Packers’ cornerback room is headed for major changes this offseason, and it starts at the top of the depth chart.

Jaire Alexander’s future in Green Bay looks increasingly uncertain. Multiple analysts have already predicted the Packers will waive him, and those rumors only intensified after ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported that team officials are frustrated with Alexander. If the front office decides to move on, that leaves a glaring hole at CB1.

The turnover doesn’t stop there.

Eric Stokes, Corey Ballentine, and Robert Rochell are all unrestricted free agents, and while Stokes seems likely to move on, it’s unclear if Ballentine or Rochell will return.

That would leave Carrington Valentine and Keisean Nixon as the only proven cornerbacks under contract—not nearly enough depth for a team trying to compete in the NFC. This is a position general manager Brian Gutekunst must address in both free agency and the draft.

One underrated option in free agency is Nate Hobbs.

Hobbs offers positional versatility, capable of playing inside as a slot corner or outside on the perimeter. That flexibility would give defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley more options in how he deploys his secondary.

Hobbs also plays with an edge, throwing himself into run support, blitzing opportunities, and the little things that make defenses better.

The downside is his injury history. Hobbs has missed time in each of the last three seasons, but he’s still managed to play 11, 13, and 11 games from 2022-2024.

Swapping one oft-injured corner for another is always a risk, but Green Bay could land him on a discount with a one-year, prove-it deal—a potential high-upside move to reinforce the secondary.

5. Darius Slayton, Wide Receiver

The Packers will likely be priced out of the Tee Higgins sweepstakes—if they were even interested to begin with. Higgins could command as much as $30 million per year, with a team like the New England Patriots likely to make a strong push.

That’s a number Green Bay should avoid.

Beyond Higgins, the top receivers in free agency come with major question marks.

Many are older veterans in decline, a market Green Bay typically steers clear of. If the Packers decide to address receiver in free agency rather than making a blockbuster trade, Darius Slayton could be an underrated option.

Slayton would bring much-needed speed to the Packers’ offense, something they’ll be desperately missing with Christian Watson expected to miss a large chunk of the 2025 season. While he’s not a direct replacement, he can help fill the playmaking void in Green Bay’s passing game.

In 2023, Slayton had a career year, hauling in 50 receptions (tying a career high) for 770 yards (a career high) and four touchdowns.

His numbers dipped in 2024 due to the emergence of Malik Nabers and poor quarterback play in New York, but his ability to stretch the field remains valuable.

Slayton has averaged 15 yards per reception over his career and has posted four seasons of at least 700 receiving yards in five years.

While he wouldn’t be a game-changer, he would provide a reliable third option behind Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed.

More importantly, he would give Jordan Love a veteran receiver he can count on, something the Packers desperately need as they take the next step toward Super Bowl contention.