The Green Bay Packers created a new problem for themselves by letting Emanuel Wilson walk in free agency.
Wilson signed with the Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks for next to nothing. Worse still, the Packers just missed a golden opportunity to replace him and land an ideal complement for Josh Jacobs in the backfield.
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White is reportedly signing with the Washington Commanders. According to Greg Auman of FOX Sports, the deal is worth just $2 million, potentially rising to $4 million with incentives. Talk about a missed opportunity.
Packers missed a free-agency bargain by not signing running back Rachaad White
White would've been an ideal complement for Jacobs in Matt LaFleur's offense. Not only is White a capable runner, but he is also an excellent pass-catcher, explosive in the open field, and a good blocker. In other words: Everything LaFleur looks for.
Jacobs offers power. He fights through contact, wears down defenses, and can carry a heavy workload. White would've played perfectly off of that — he's a dual-threat with the speed to take advantage of tired defenses.
This past season, he perfectly complemented Bucky Irving in the Buccaneers' backfield, turning 132 carries into 572 yards and four touchdowns at a healthy 4.3 yards per attempt. White added 40 catches for 218 yards.
His 87.2 PFF rushing grade ranked fourth in the NFL. He finished 17th in receiving and 23rd in pass blocking.
White has hit 1,000-plus yards from scrimmage twice in four years, including an impressive 1,539 total yards in 2023.
Last year's numbers didn't even capture his full potential as a pass-catcher. Across the previous three seasons, White caught 165 passes for 1,232 yards and 11 touchdowns. He would've thrived in LaFleur's system. Jordan Love targets his running backs.
Letting Wilson walk didn't make a whole lot of sense. There are limited remaining options in free agency, with Brian Robinson Jr. standing out as perhaps the only potential target.
The Packers could add depth in the draft, but they're already without a first-round pick, which means they'll need to spend Days 2 and 3 prioritizing other areas of need, like cornerback, defensive tackle, edge-rusher, and offensive line depth.
Behind Jacobs, Green Bay has MarShawn Lloyd, who has played one game in two seasons due to multiple injuries, and Chris Brooks, who has yet to prove he can handle RB2 duties. It's a roll of the dice.
The Packers may still add a running back, most likely via the draft, but they could've solved the problem for just $2 million in free agency by signing White. His running style and pass-catching ability would've perfectly complemented Jacobs.
Instead, running back remains a question for this team.