Packers: 10 ways Green Bay can have perfect offseason

6. Re-sign Morgan Burnett

It’s possible Morgan Burnett’s price tag is too high for the Packers to bring him back, but in an ideal world he will remain in Green Bay.

On paper the safety position looks set even if Burnett walks. But the same was said about cornerback when Casey Hayward departed two years ago.

Yes, Burnett is 29 years old and hasn’t played all 16 regular season games since 2012, but he still offers plenty of value in Green Bay’s defense. Burnett is the team’s most talented safety, and he adds experience to a young secondary.

The Packers are in win-now mode and can’t afford to potentially leave themselves thin at a current position of strength. Burnett can help the defense perform at a high level, and the Packers should do what they can to ensure he remains in Green Bay.

Spotrac’s calculated market value for Burnett has him averaging $9.8 million a year. That would make him the league’s seventh-highest paid safety, just behind Seattle’s Earl Thomas.

The Packers might need Burnett to accept a lower salary than that to re-sign him, which is possibly wishful thinking. A new contract would need to be at the right price, but there’s no denying his importance to Green Bay’s defense.

Mike Pettine’s unit would be far better off with Burnett on the field than without him. Of the Packers’ unrestricted free agents, Burnett should be the top priority to re-sign.