The Green Bay Packers were active during the first wave of free agency, signing a couple of key players while letting a few familiar faces walk.
The Packers locked in cornerback Nate Hobbs and left guard Aaron Banks with massive, multi-year contracts. Both are expected to play significant roles next season and beyond.
However, they also watched Josh Myers, Eric Stokes, A.J. Dillon, and T.J. Slaton sign elsewhere. Those departures, combined with the holes Green Bay already needed to patch, leave the front office with plenty of work to do before training camp.
A good place to start? Bringing back some of their own free agents—players they know, trust, and won’t have to teach the playbook from scratch. Here are six Packers free agents who could still return to Green Bay.
1 & 2. Tyler Davis & John Fitzpatrick
At the top of the Packers’ tight end depth chart, things are set in stone. Tucker Kraft emerged as their go-to guy last season, and he’ll be the unquestioned starter heading into 2025. Luke Musgrave is right behind him, firmly locked into his role.
Behind them, though? It’s a mystery—kind of like ordering a sidecar for a Bloody Mary outside of Wisconsin and getting nothing but a confused stare in return.
Ben Sims, Messiah Swinson, and Johnny Lumpkin are the other tight ends currently under contract. Among them, only Sims has shown he belongs in the NFL, and even then, he’s more of a special teams ace than an offensive weapon.
Tyler Davis, despite some brutal injury luck, could be a reliable depth option if healthy. Meanwhile, John Fitzpatrick is more of a utility knife—he won’t be slicing through defenses, but he can do a little bit of everything to help the team. Neither is flashy, but both are the type of under-the-radar players who make a roster function smoothly. Green Bay could do worse than bringing them back.
3. Eric Wilson
The Packers’ linebacker depth is thinner than Aaron Rodgers’ patience with young receivers.
Edgerrin Cooper looks like a star in the making. He had a promising rookie campaign, making more plays as the season wore on. If he can tighten up his game, his future could be as electric as a Lambeau Leap.
Unfortunately, it’s slim pickings after Cooper.
Quay Walker was supposed to be the next big thing in Green Bay’s linebacker corps, but so far, his play has been more “Oops” than “All-Pro.” After three underwhelming seasons, he’s at risk of the Packers declining his fifth-year option.
Green Bay did re-sign Isaiah McDuffie earlier in the offseason, penciling him in as the third starter alongside Cooper and Walker. They also have 2024 third-rounder Ty’Ron Hopper, but he spent most of his rookie year as a spectator, playing just 18 defensive snaps.
That still leaves the Packers desperately short on proven linebackers—cue Eric Wilson.
Wilson was miscast as a starter last season but can still serve a valuable role. He’s best as a special teams contributor and a “break-glass-in-case-of-emergency” linebacker. That’s precisely the kind of depth Green Bay could use in 2025.
The Packers will need to be careful with what they pay him. They already overpaid McDuffie and can’t afford to double-dip in the “bad contract” jar at a non-premium position.
It may take some time, but Green Bay should let Wilson’s market cool off and then look to re-sign him to a cheap, team-friendly deal.
4 & 5. Corey Ballentine & Robert Rochell
The Packers’ cornerback room is still a mystery—like trying to guess which Wisconsin bar serves the best Old Fashioned (spoiler: they all claim they do).
They signed Nate Hobbs from the Las Vegas Raiders, but it’s unclear where he’ll play next season. He has primarily spent his career in the slot, where he thrives. He throws his body around with reckless abandon in the run game and has the quickness to stick with shifty receivers.
However, at 6-foot-1, he’s big enough to move outside—a new challenge he’d presumably welcome.
Beyond Hobbs, the Packers also have Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine. Both players have had their ups and downs, making it hard to know whether Green Bay can rely on them moving forward.
The biggest wildcard in the group is Jaire Alexander.
Alexander has been a trade-or-cut candidate all offseason, yet he’s still in Green Bay. It’s like holding onto a rare baseball card—you know it’s worth something, but finding the right collector willing to pay up takes time. The Packers haven’t found a deal they like, and with no pressing financial deadlines, they can afford to wait for the right move.
Assuming Alexander is eventually moved, the Packers will need to bolster their cornerback depth. They’ll likely target one early in the draft, but re-signing their own could help.
Corey Ballentine and Robert Rochell are solid enough depth pieces to round out the roster. They can contribute on special teams and step in on defense when needed. They won’t steal any headlines, but like a well-placed brat at a tailgate, they serve an important role.
6. Andre Dillard
The Packers’ offensive line is set to undergo a major reshuffling in the next couple of years.
They’ve already let Josh Myers walk, signing Aaron Banks in his place. That sets the Packers up for a starting offensive line of Rasheed Walker, Banks, Elgton Jenkins, Sean Rhyan, and Zach Tom from left to right.
Jordan Morgan, the Packers’ 2024 first-round pick, is also waiting in the shadows. He’s versatile enough to play either guard or tackle, but he remains adamant that he’s an offensive tackle at the NFL level.
His time to shine will come sooner or later. Walker, Rhyan, and Tom are all set to hit free agency next year, and the Packers won’t be able to keep all three. It’s like trying to hold onto a handful of sand—no matter what, some pieces will slip away.
In the meantime, Green Bay needs to keep addressing its immediate need for depth.
The Packers signed Andre Dillard as an emergency swing tackle last year, but they never had to break the glass, as both Walker and Tom stayed healthy. Still, it’s good to have a backup plan, and re-signing Dillard would be a smart insurance policy.
Dillard isn’t starting material anymore, but there are worse options for a swing tackle. He’d give Green Bay a solid third option behind their starters (or fourth, depending on Morgan’s development) and much-needed depth.
The Packers learned firsthand in the playoffs against the Eagles that depth can be the difference between a smooth ride and a total breakdown. Bringing back Dillard would be a cheap way to ensure they don’t end up stranded again.
