The Green Bay Packers have not made any earth-shattering splashes in free agency, but they have made several impactful additions at positions of need.
They traded for Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin, countering Quay Walker's departure. They signed defensive tackle Javon Hargrave after his release from Minnesota, upgrading over Colby Wooden, with the latter being exchanged for Franklin.
They signed cornerback Benjamin St-Juste, coming off a career year for the Los Angeles Chargers. That provided the green light to release Nate Hobbs.
On the offensive line, they replaced Elgton Jenkins by re-signing Sean Rhyan to a three-year deal worth $33 million.
Those are most of the headliners. The roster still needs depth in a variety of areas, but edge-rusher is the position that sticks out like a sore thumb. While trading Rashan Gary for a 2027 fourth-rounder was a home-run success, the Packers have left themselves with sparse options until Micah Parsons returns from ACL surgery.
Would they pursue someone like Arizona Cardinals defensive end Josh Sweat in a trade? There are rumors (and only rumors) that he wants out of Arizona. Maybe, maybe not.
What is clear is that they should probably do something, and relying on the draft won't be good enough.
Packers need to fix their pass-rush problem after signing Javon Hargrave
That something needn't require noteworthy draft capital, like it would in a Sweat trade. The Packers could easily go out and sign a veteran to tide over the pass rush in the early weeks, while Parsons is still recovering, and to provide balance even when he returns.
As it stands now, Green Bay's lead edge-rushers are Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell, and Collin Oliver. (And yes, Brenton Cox still exists.) Even accounting for growth from Sorrell and Oliver, that's not an inspiring group.
On top of that, Van Ness has dealt with his own injury concerns. At full strength, the Packers could use another reliable body to spell him and Parsons. It's probably overly hopeful to anticipate Sorrell being that guy all season long.
On the interior, or as ends in 3-4 looks, Devonte Wyatt and Javon Hargrave will certainly supplement the pass rush. That still leaves the problem of penciling in two outside linebackers who can consistently disrupt the pocket and keep opposing quarterbacks on edge.
It won't make waves like a major trade, but signing a veteran to a short-term contract offers several benefits. Green Bay should expect to need help early on in 2026 with Parsons out, so getting even a one-year stopgap would be useful. Landing a player who could be that second or third option would also improve Van Ness' chances of staying healthy and allow Sorrell to continue developing after playing 178 rookie snaps.
Without a legitimate backup plan, next season probably isn't the time to throw the former fourth-round pick into the fire.
Free-agent pass-rushers the Packers should consider signing
Who might the Packers consider in the open market? Saints DE Cam Jordan is one option. He'll turn 37 in July, but the eight-time Pro Bowler is coming off a 10.5-sack season in New Orleans.
Dallas Cowboys free agent Jadeveon Clowney is another name to consider. He had 8.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss in 13 games. Both he and Jordan have projected one-year salaries in the range of $5.7-$6.7 million, per Spotrac.
Yes, that could impact Green Bay's compensatory pick formula in a small way. But is giving up, say, a seventh-round selection in 2027, worth adding a clear win-now player where the Packers currently have only two (Parsons and Van Ness)?
At slightly lower price points, they could also consider free agents Derek Barnett (Texans) or Kyle Van Noy (Ravens), who both had respectable seasons. (Van Noy and Van Ness, how fun is that?) Entering his age-30 season, Barnett is also a bit younger than the others.
Doing just about anything would be better than standing pat as the Packers look to field a playoff contender once again in 2026.