The Green Bay Packers are feeling the sting of consistent playoff appearances, as teams around the league are poaching some of their difference-makers. Right after the Miami Dolphins hired Packers VP of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan to serve as GM, the franchise hired Green Bay defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as their next head coach.
Not only will Hafley be taking some of the top Green Bay assistants on staff, but he will likely be contacting some of his former pupils as he tries to get them on the next flight to Miami.
While the Dolphins are limited in terms of what they can spend in free agency, it seems highly unlikely that Hafley is going to leave his first offseason in South Beach without convincing at least one of these four Packers to trade in Green Bay winters for Florida weather.
New Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley could steal these Packers free agents
4. IOL Sean Rhyan
Miami's offensive line is one of the worst in the league, but the guard play has been so hard to watch that the Dolphins may spend most of their available funds on fixing that area. Rhyan, who started 28 games in the last two seasons, seems like a perfect low-risk signing.
3. LB Quay Walker
Hafley may try to focus on bringing in a member of Green Bay's defense to better implement his scheme, and what better way to do that than by bringing in a starting middle linebacker? Walker's time in Green Bay was up-and-down, but the Packers' defense would be worse off without him and Hafley.
2. WR Romeo Doubs
After years of sharing starring roles with the Packers' collection of role-player wide receivers, Doubs may set out on his own as he tries to find someone who will pay him top dollar for his services. With Tyreek Hill likely to be traded, Doubs could be locked in as a well-compensated WR2 next to Jaylen Waddle.
1. QB Malik Willis
Teams might be hesitant to commit a ton of money to Green Bay's well-regarded backup, but he is almost assuredly going to have a market. Even though Miami may find it difficult to get off Tua Tagovailoa's contract, Willis can still go there on a deal that compensates him well without anchoring the payroll.
Hafley will likely bring someone from Matt LaFleur's offensive staff with him to Miami, which means Willis can hit the ground running with a scheme he already knows. How he will handle full-time QB1 duties remains to be seen, however.