Given the Green Bay Packers' salary cap situation heading into this 2026 NFL offseason, nobody expected them to be big players in free agency, even after unloading edge rusher Rashan Gary in another high-profile trade with the Dallas Cowboys to clear some space.
And the Packers certainly weren't players once things got underway back in March, as they were one of just three NFC teams and five overall not to make a single signing on the first day of the legal tampering period. They did eventually bring in some outside help, signing two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, cornerback Benjamin St-Juste, and wide receiver/return specialist Skyy Moore. And they also engaged in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts to acquire veteran linebacker Zaire Franklin.
But they also lost several key contributors on both sides of the football, a list that includes Romeo Doubs, Quay Walker, Malik Willis, Kingsley Enagbare, and Emanuel Wilson, among others. And let's not pretend Green Bay had the biggest or best draft class, selecting only six players in Pittsburgh late last month, one of whom was a kicker.
It wasn't the worst offseason by any stretch, but it certainly wasn't the greatest either. So, when Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski recently handed out overall offseason report cards for each of the 32 teams, it wasn't overly surprising to see him give the Packers a "C" grade for their efforts.
Only two NFC teams received a worse grade than the Packers in B/R's offseason report cards
Here's a quick look at Sobleski's assessment of why he gave the Packers the grade he did:
"Regression has been obvious since Matt LaFleur became the head coach of the Green Bay Packers, and the organization hasn't done enough to halt its current direction.
"The team has gone from making it to the NFC Championship Game in his first two seasons at the helm, to two divisional losses and now back-to-back losses in the Wild Card Round. The Packers are five years removed from their last conference title game.
"With Jeff Hafley leaving to become the Miami Dolphins' head coach, Jonathan Gannon steps in as Green Bay's new defensive play-caller. Obviously, tweaks to the roster were made to fit Gannon's preferences.
"Defensive lineman Javon Hargrave and cornerback Benjamin St-Juste were signed in free agency. Linebacker Zaire Franklin joined the squad thanks to a trade with the Indianapolis Colts. Finally, the team invested its first three draft picks in defensive prospects: cornerback Brandon Cisse, defensive lineman Chris McClellin and edge-rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton."
Okay, the second half was more of a summary than an assessment, but the first half of that statement is obviously telling in that Sobleski, like so many others at this point, clearly believes the Packers simply didn't do enough this offseason to upgrade the roster.
What he failed to mention, though, is that Green Bay was on track to win the NFC North, which obviously would have changed the team's seeding in the postseason, before Micah Parsons went down with a season-ending ACL injury in Week 15. That said, though, that fact also doesn't change what the Packers have or haven't done over the last few months.
As to how the Packers' grade compared to others, only two teams in the NFC were given worse marks, one of which was the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, who came with a "C-." And the other, unquestionably much to the delight of Cheeseheads everywhere, was the Minnesota Vikings, who brought up the rear in the conference with a "D" grade.
Here's how the full list of 32 shook out:
- Arizona Cardinals: C
- Atlanta Falcons: C+
- Baltimore Ravens: D
- Buffalo Bills: C+
- Carolina Panthers: B
- Chicago Bears: C
- Cincinnati Bengals: B+
- Cleveland Browns: B
- Dallas Cowboys: A-
- Denver Broncos: B
- Detroit Lions: C
- Green Bay Packers: C
- Houston Texans: B
- Indianapolis Colts: B
- Jacksonville Jaguars: F
- Kansas City Chiefs: C+
- Las Vegas Raiders: A
- Los Angeles Chargers: B
- Los Angeles Rams: B
- Miami Dolphins: D
- Minnesota Vikings: D
- New England Patriots: C
- New Orleans Saints: B
- New York Giants: B+
- New York Jets: A
- Philadelphia Eagles: C+
- Pittsburgh Steelers: C+
- San Francisco 49ers: C+
- Seattle Seahawks: C-
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B
- Tennessee Titans: B
- Washington Commanders: B
As you can see, at least neither the Chicago Bears nor the Detroit Lions earned a higher grade, as both came in with a "C" as well. So, at least there's that.
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