Packers: Being aggressive in free agency doesn’t mean spend big

With the legal tampering period of free agency two weeks away, Packers Nation will finally get to see just how aggressive GM Brian Gutekunst intend to be.

There is often a misconception when it comes to aggressiveness in free agency. Most figure aggressive means signing the top available players at each position of need.

But to chase that reality is fool’s gold. If you want evidence just take a look at recent offseason “winners”.

Think back to the supposed “Dream Team” the Eagles put together in 2011 or the Washington teams of the 90’s and early 00s. All those teams spent big in free agency and found themselves worse off than where they were before.

Not just for that season either. Spending big and missing can cause problems with the salary cap for multiple seasons, limiting the resources a team has to re-sign their own or using free agency in following seasons.

You don’t have to spend big to be aggressive.

Last offseason the big signing was TE Martellus Bennett. But, the aggressive move came 24 hours later when the Packers signed TE Lance Kendricks. While the Bennett signing didn’t work out and the Kendricks signing isn’t looking so hot, neither of those signings broke the bank. Say what you will of those signings but, it’s that type of aggressiveness the new GM needs to show.

With a hole at cornerback, there has been a call for Malcolm Butler. But I’d like to offer an alternative.

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Butler is considered near the top of the market and will command top dollar. At the moment, the Packers simply don’t have the kind of cap space that to fit that contract. Also, if Butler doesn’t pan out, it could put a strain on the cap for the next 3-4 years depending on the deal.

An aggressive yet sensible move would be for E.J. Gaines.

Gaines had a solid year for the Bills and still has room to grow. At 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, Gaines has better size to hold up playing in the NFC North. Butler is 5-foot-9 and below the minimum height the Packers like to use.

Gaines also ran a faster 40 (4.51) at the combine than Butler (4.62). According to Spotrac, Gaines’ market value is $9.3 million, approximately $4 million less than Butler’s.

This type of signing is being aggressive without breaking the bank, while filling a hole.

GM Gutekunst could then focus on other value targets. Someone like Zach Brown. The linebacker position is in need of speed. Brown has plenty of it (4.44 40-time at the combine).

Blake Martinez had a fine year tying the league-lead in tackles. But, I feel adding a chase linebacker with speed like Brown’s could help Martinez and the defense flourish. Brown’s speed could make up for Martinez’s deficiencies in coverage and give the Packers two solid linebackers on the field on run downs.

The past two years Brown has been playing on one-year deals with neither contract going over $2.5 million. That type of signing can go along way for the Pack.

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Those type of signings would allow the Packers more room for other moves in free agency.