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Green Bay Packers free agency grades: Some are surprising

By Raymond Rivard

Green Bay Packers defensive end Mike Daniels hurries Peyton Manning. Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Green Bay Packers defensive end Mike Daniels hurries Peyton Manning. Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
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Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Walterfootball.com grades the Packers

According to walterfootball.com, here are the individual signing grades assigned to those deals made by the Green Bay Packers:

Packers re-sign RB James Starks (2 years, $6 million): B+ Grade It’s a bit surprising that James Starks couldn’t find a better offer on the open market, especially considering all of the bizarre contracts handed out to running backs this offseason. However, Starks reportedly was talking to the Dolphins, so maybe he is taking a worse deal to be in a better situation. Starks, after all, will be able to play for a winner and perhaps even start if Eddie Lacy continues to have weight issues.
Packers re-sign RB James Starks (2 years, $6 million): B+ Grade It’s a bit surprising that James Starks couldn’t find a better offer on the open market, especially considering all of the bizarre contracts handed out to running backs this offseason. However, Starks reportedly was talking to the Dolphins, so maybe he is taking a worse deal to be in a better situation. Starks, after all, will be able to play for a winner and perhaps even start if Eddie Lacy continues to have weight issues. /

This is a quality re-signing by Green Bay. Starks is a solid talent who happens to be one of the better No. 2 running backs in the NFL right now. He turned 30 this offseason, but with just 555 career carries under his belt, Starks could be someone like Fred Jackson who could perform decently into his 30s.

image: http://walterfootball.com/images/fball/packersb_logo.gif

Packers re-sign DE/OLB Nick Perry (1 year, $5 million): C+ Grade Based on his production, Nick Perry would have been more suited being the 228th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft rather than the 28th. He hasn’t recorded more than four sacks in any of his four NFL seasons, and while statistics are sometimes misleading, his tape backs up his lack of production. He just sucks.
Packers re-sign DE/OLB Nick Perry (1 year, $5 million): C+ Grade Based on his production, Nick Perry would have been more suited being the 228th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft rather than the 28th. He hasn’t recorded more than four sacks in any of his four NFL seasons, and while statistics are sometimes misleading, his tape backs up his lack of production. He just sucks. /

I didn’t think Perry would return for 2016, but the Packers have decided to bring him back for one more year. It’s not the worst idea in the world. Perry is still only 25, so there’s a chance he could be a late bloomer. Plus, he’s not terrible in run support, so having him around for depth is fine. I wouldn’t have given him $5 million for one season, but the Packers aren’t taking any sort of risk.

image: http://walterfootball.com/images/fball/packersb_logo.gif

Packers re-sign K Mason Crosby (4 years, $16.1M; $5M bonus): B- Grade I criticized the Raiders for paying big money to a punter a couple of days ago. Well, kickers are more important, so this grade has to be higher, given that the teams gave their special-teamers somewhat similar contracts.
Packers re-sign K Mason Crosby (4 years, $16.1M; $5M bonus): B- Grade I criticized the Raiders for paying big money to a punter a couple of days ago. Well, kickers are more important, so this grade has to be higher, given that the teams gave their special-teamers somewhat similar contracts. /

Mason Crosby has been one of the better kickers in the NFL since 2013. His percentages in the three years since have been: 89.2, 81.8 and 85.7. It’s also worth noting that Crosby didn’t whiff on a single extra point last season, drilling all 36 tries. Kickers are more important than ever now in the wake of the NFL’s new asinine extra-points rule, so keeping a great one around at a somewhat reasonable price is a solid move.

image: http://walterfootball.com/images/fball/packersb_logo.gif

Packers re-sign DE/DT Letroy Guion (3 years, $11.25 million): C Grade Letroy Guion had to take a 1-year “prove it” deal last offseason because of some legal issues he was a part of. His charges were eventually dropped, but he didn’t exactly play particularly well.
Packers re-sign DE/DT Letroy Guion (3 years, $11.25 million): C Grade Letroy Guion had to take a 1-year “prove it” deal last offseason because of some legal issues he was a part of. His charges were eventually dropped, but he didn’t exactly play particularly well. /

Guion was just OK as a rotational lineman, so with that in mind, nearly $4 million per year seems like a lot to pay that sort of player. This isn’t a terrible move, as I like when teams re-sign their own players for chemistry issues, but the Packers probably could’ve obtained a cheaper alternative who would’ve performed just as well.

Next: CBSsports.com says ...

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