Packers: 12 steps towards fixing the team’s biggest problems

1. Address Nick Perry‘s contract

The Packers need to either trade or release Nick Perry. Perry was brought back because of a matter of principle in Green Bay.

The former first-round pick had one big year in 2016 when he registered 11 sacks despite injuries to both hands and missing two regular season games. Perry has not even come close to living up to his $59 million price tag.

Cutting Perry next year would only save the Packers $3 million against the cap, according to Spotrac, but finding a trade partner is unlikely. Few teams are going to want to part ways with a draft pick to add an average, banged up pass rusher making elite pass rusher money.

The New York Jets have boatloads of cap space and showed interest in Perry when he was a free agent, but the team is looking to stay young, healthy, and already has a solid defense being improved.

2. Make Aaron Jones the primary running back

Even with around $40 million in cap space next offseason, the Packers need to let Ty Montgomery out the door in free agency. Montgomery has not improved as a runner since being converted into a running back two seasons ago.

As a receiver, he has slid completely out of the rotation and like so many other Packer receivers, has no downfield speed whatsoever.

The Packers have inexplicably given Jamaal Williams the ball over Aaron Jones, when it is so blatantly obvious that Jones is the more talented of the two runners. Mike McCarthy has been a staunch defender of the two-back offensive system, but Jones has to be the bell cow to provide this offense with more balance.

Le’Veon Bell and other big name free agent running backs will get fans excited, but Jones is too good to ignore at this stage of his career.