GREEN BAY, Wis. – This was a highly unusual offseason for the Green Bay Packers, a franchise that prides itself on drafting, developing and retaining.
The Packers entered the offseason with 11 unrestricted free agents. By the time organized team activities begin in a couple weeks, they will have retained only two.
On Friday, backup offensive tackle Andre Dillard signed with the San Francisco 49ers. Meanwhile, Packers On SI has learned that the Packers will not re-sign tight end Tyler Davis.
Who Was Re-Signed?
K Brandon McManus
In 2023, the Packers used a sixth-round draft choice on Anders Carlson to replace Mason Crosby. That didn’t work. Nor did the backup plan, Brayden Narveson. Finally, it was McManus to the rescue. He went 20-of-21 on field goals during the regular season, finishing second in the NFL and second in franchise history with 95.2 percent accuracy.
Before free agency, Green Bay signed him to a three-year deal worth $15.3 million.
LB Isaiah McDuffie
Also before the start of free agency, the Packers re-signed McDuffie to a two-year deal worth $8 million. A sixth-round pick in 2021, McDuffie in 2024 started all 17 games and recorded 97 tackles. McDuffie played 64.2 percent of the defensive snaps. He allowed five touchdown passes, tied with Keisean Nixon for most on the team.
TE John FitzPatrick
The Packers did not tender FitzPatrick as a restricted free agent, which made him an unrestricted free agent, but retained him with a one-year, $1.5 million contract. Snagged off Atlanta’s practice squad, he played 73 snaps on offense and 50 on special teams in nine games. He caught one pass for 2 yards.
Who Signed With Another Team?
C Josh Myers
Myers, a second-round pick in 2021, started 16 games and played 1,008 snaps – his third consecutive season of 1,000-plus snaps – and allowed one sack. The former second-round pick incredibly settled for a one-year, $2 million contract with the Jets.
DT TJ Slaton
Slaton, a fifth-round pick in 2021, started all 17 games for a second consecutive year, though his tackle count went from 50 to 30. With two sacks and six tackles for losses in four seasons, he signed a two-year, $14.1 million contract with the Bengals.
LB Eric Wilson
The 30-year-old played in all 17 games with 12 starts – his most since 2020 with the Vikings – and tallied 72 tackles, two sacks, seven tackles for losses, one interception and one forced fumble. He returned to Minnesota with a one-year, $2.6 million contract.
CB Eric Stokes
Stokes, a first-round pick in 2021, finally stayed healthy after missing the second half of 2022 and almost all of 2023. However, even while playing in all 17 games with seven starts in 2024, his one interception and 14 passes defensed as a rookie represented his four-year production. He was the only cornerback in the NFL last season with zero passes defensed while starting at least seven games. He signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Raiders.
CB Corey Ballentine
After going three calendar years without starting a game, the Packers might not have made the playoffs without Ballentine starting six games in 2023. In 2024, he played in 15 games with one start. He signed a one-year, $1.34 million contract with the Colts.
CB Robert Rochell
A fourth-round pick by the Rams in 2021, Rochell failed to make the opening roster last season but wound up playing in 11 games. Of his 122 total snaps, 121 were on special teams. He signed a one-year, $1.17 million contract with the Chiefs but was released this week.
RB AJ Dillon
A second-round pick in 2020, Dillon never quite was the sum of his powerful parts. He missed the end of 2023 with a stinger and all of 2024 after suffering another during training camp. In hopes of resurrecting his career, he signed a one-year, $1.34 million contract with the Eagles.
OT Andre Dillard
A first-round pick by the Eagles in 2019, Dillard started 10 games for the Titans in 2023 but played only 13 snaps on offense and 50 on special teams in 10 appearances in Green Bay. He presumably signed a minimum-salary contract with San Francisco.
Who Did the Packers Sign?
G Aaron Banks
A second-round pick by the 49ers in 2021, Banks started 43 of a possible 51 games the past three seasons. Of 66 guards who played 500 snaps last season, he ranked 36th in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency with one sack and 25 total pressures allowed. Still, he received a budget-busting contract. His four-year, $77 million contract puts him sixth among guards in annual pay.
CB Nate Hobbs
A fifth-round pick by the Raiders in 2021, Hobbs played in 16 games with nine starts as a rookie but has missed 16 games the past three seasons. In 2024, he played in 11 games with seven starts and had one interception and five passes defensed. PFF charged him with a 67.4 percent completion rate; Sports Info Solutions charged him with just 42.9 percent. His four-year, $48 million contract puts him 24th among corners in annual pay.
WR Mecole Hardman
The Packers entered the offseason needing speed at receiver and, with Keisean Nixon perhaps poised to become the No. 1 corner, a kick returner. Enter Hardman, who caught 12 passes for just 90 yards with the Chiefs last season but has career averages of 9.2 yards per punt return and 23.8 yards per kickoff return. He was given a one-year, $1.5 million contract.
LB Isaiah Simmons
Simmons was the eighth overall pick of the 2020 draft by the Cardinals. He had 105 tackles, seven passes defensed and four forced fumbles in 2021 and 99 tackles, seven passes defensed and two forced fumbles in 2022. With the Giants the last two seasons, he started only five games. He has a lot of experience at linebacker and even in the slot. He signed a one-year, $1.34 million contract.
LB Kristian Welch
Welch was a strong player on special teams for the Packers in 2023 but failed to make their roster in 2024, even after a superb preseason. His niche is special teams: In five NFL seasons, his experience on defense consists of 97 snaps. After splitting last season with Denver and Baltimore, he returned to Green Bay on a one-year contract worth $1.17 million
Who Remains Unsigned
TE Tyler Davis
Davis missed 2023 with a torn ACL and 2024 with a shoulder injury. He will not return to the Packers, who will ride with the returning quartet of Tucker Kraft, Luke Musgrave, Ben Sims and FitzPatrick. Practice-squad player Messiah Swinson will be the primary challenger.
