Green Bay Packers: Potential roster cuts for Packers to target in free agency
By Kenn Korb
Potential cut: Kendall Langford, 3-4 DE (IND)
2015 statistics: 16 games played, 851 snaps (74.85 percent of team totals), 38 tackles, 7 sacks, 3 passes defensed
Pro Football Focus rankings: 80.6 (overall); 75.1 (run defense), 80.0 (pass rush), 60.1 (coverage)
Langford may be even more of a pipe dream than Bowman in a way. Though he doesn’t have the safe long-term relationship with his team as Bowman does in San Francisco, he is coming off the best season of any player on this list.
Still, the Colts are a team in flux after surprisingly flopping during an all-in season in 2015. They are already a team which spends plenty on free agent improvements, and will undoubtedly be seeking more immediate improvements to return themselves to the top of the AFC South — and with it, the playoffs.
They have long needed to improve their offensive line, and could use more dynamic pieces across their defense. Langford is definitely worth his price (just over $4 million in 2016), but with multiple years on his contract (he’s signed through 2018), advancing age and so many needs elsewhere on the roster the team could decide they would rather allocate the money on other options.
Next: Grading the 2015 Packers: Tight ends
Langford is another player who I thought would’ve been a good addition last season, and would appear to be just as good of a possibility this time around. Even if the cost were the same as it is now, it would undoubtedly be worth it to a team that can afford it and is in need of capable players at his position.
**Snap count numbers courtesy of Pro Football Reference
**Pro Football Focus’ ratings go from 0-100; 0-59 = replaceable, 60-69 = backup, 70-84 = starter, 85-89 = Pro Bowler, 90-100 = Elite