Packers: Predicting which 2022 free agents will be re-signed

The Green Bay Packers’ off-season will largely be dictated by the decision surrounding Aaron Rodgers and his uncertain future with the organization.

Nevertheless, they’re also nearly $50 million over the salary cap and have a rather lengthy list of free agents whose futures will also need addressing.

Here is an early look at who each of those players are, and I’ll attempt to decipher who stays and who goes.

Unrestricted Free Agents

WR Davante Adams: Simply put, Adams wants to be the highest paid wide receiver in the game – and he should be. Whether the cap-strapped Packers can, or even should pay him as such is up for debate.

Obviously losing the best receiver in the league doesn’t help the Packers whatsoever in the short term, but doling out a lucrative contract to a receiver who will be exiting his prime also doesn’t seem like the wisest decision.

Ultimately this will come down to either Russ Ball getting creative with the cap to retain his services for one final run with this nucleus. Otherwise, I feel the best decision would be to slap the tag on Adams, thank him for his time in the green and gold, and trade him to the highest bidder. You just can’t let Adams walk away for nothing.

TE Robert Tonyan: It’s rather unfortunate that Tonyan’s season was derailed due to a torn ACL. His presence was certainly missed in the red-zone, and a return on a low-dollar, prove-it deal would seem to make a lot of sense. However, ACL injuries can be tricky, especially for skill positions. Will he be healthy enough to be able to provide any value next season? Given the state of the salary cap, I expect the Packers to move on here.

WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling: MVS is a player that provides a ton of value to this offense even when he’s not posting big stat lines. He offers a different skill-set than the other receivers on the roster and is a seemingly perfect fit for Matt LaFleur’s offense. Within reason, I expect the Packers will find a way to bring him back as long as the price tag doesn’t get out of hand.

IOL Lucas Patrick: Patrick has been a plug-and-play option for the Packers the last couple of seasons. He’s been a capable backup that’s stepped up and played like a low-end starter wherever he was needed on the interior. I expect some team to give him more money and a larger role than is currently available in Green Bay.

T Dennis Kelly: With the emergence of Yosh Nijman and very little cap space, I don’t see a path for Kelly to return to Green Bay unless it’s at the vet minimum. He played admirably off the bench when called upon, but I don’t think Green Bay can spend anything extra on a player that’s not a necessity.

WR Equanimeous St. Brown: He’s shown flashes of a useful player over the duration of his rookie contract, but certainly not enough to prioritize bringing him back at any amount of money. I expect Green Bay to part ways and replace him with another cost-effective option.

LB De’Vondre Campbell: I’m not certain how likely this one is, but if I were Green Bay’s front office I’d find a way to retain Campbell’s services. Hopefully his age, and lack of track record will bring his cost down to a place where he and the Packers can each find common ground. Having an impact player at ILB has proven to be the difference for a defense that has neglected the position for so long. It’s going to be tough, but I think they’ll find a way to bring him back.

CB Rasul Douglas: Few players in the NFL made a larger impact at the position this past season than journeyman CB Rasul Douglas. He was a perfect fit in Joe Barry’s system, and this is where he belongs long-term. He previously stated that he would come back for a little more than the minimum, and whether that’s true or not, the Packers should keep Douglas at almost any cost.

CB Kevin King: King didn’t do anything to improve his stock this past season, so I don’t see any reason they’ll need to retain his services moving forward. Some other team will likely pay him to come in and play a role on their team, but it just doesn’t make sense to spend money on a fourth or fifth corner.

CB Chandon Sullivan: Sullivan isn’t worth making a priority by any means, but if you could retain him on the low, there would be no reason not to. He’s a capable depth piece and can play in the slot. He’s certainly not worth getting into a bidding war over though.

DT Tyler Lancaster: He’s been a useful depth piece on the defensive line the last few seasons, but not worth paying for. Block eaters are a dime a dozen and his production can be replaced by a younger, cheaper option.

LB Oren Burks: Burks isn’t good enough to play defensive snaps in the NFL, and he doesn’t make a big enough impact on special teams to mitigate that fact. They’ll part ways, and you won’t even notice he’s gone.

P Corey Bojorquez: Bojo blast was a marked improvement from years past, but struggled later in the year when the weather got cold. I’d say he’s certainly worth bringing back, but if another team is willing to pay him more, then let him walk. Punters aren’t as hard to find as our front office has led you to believe.

Restricted Free Agents

WR Allen Lazard: Lazard wears a lot of hats in this offense, and with the majority of the receiving room’s future up in the air, it’ll be worth bringing him back on a modest deal.

Exclusive Rights Free Agents

T Yosh Nijman, TE Dominique Dafney, LB Krys Barnes, S Henry Black

I’ll keep this one short and sweet — bring them all back. Each of these players can, and have, played a role under Matt LaFleur. In an off-season sure to see a ton of turnover, it’s going to be worth keeping as many familiar faces as possible.