Brian Gutekunst hinted at being active in free agency, and Green Bay Packers fans can have confidence in their general manager.
It's important to approach free agency with caution. It's easy to overpay for players who fail to meet expectations and leave a damaging impact on the salary cap. But Gutekunst has far more hits than misses when adding free agents to the Packers' roster.
We previously covered Gutekunst's worst free-agent moves. Spoiler: There weren't many.
Most of Gutekunst's signings have produced at least solid results, and in some cases, they were game-changing additions.
Before we get into the top five, Billy Turner, Marcedes Lewis, and Tramon Williams deserve honorable mentions. Also, this list includes players signed in free agency during the offseason. This rules out some of Gutekunst's great in-season additions like Rasul Douglas and Bashaud Breeland.
5. Keisean Nixon
Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur prioritized fixing the special teams in the 2022 offseason. Repeated mistakes on fourth down led to their playoff downfall the season prior, and the Packers had seen enough. Along with hiring veteran special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia, Gutekunst brought in core special teams players via free agency.
Keisean Nixon was among them. Nixon had worked with Bisaccia in Las Vegas and would instantly become an important special teams player in Green Bay.
But few could've predicted just how significant of an impact he would make. Nixon replaced Amari Rodgers as Green Bay's kick returner midway through the 2022 season, and he didn't need long to become the league leader in kick return yards.
Nixon is now a two-time first-team All-Pro, having put up 1,791 kick return yards with one touchdown at an average of 27.6 yards per return. He also contributes on defense, having made 13 starts at slot corner in 2023.
4. De'Vondre Campbell
In 2021, the Packers needed to find an upgrade at the inside linebacker position. They drafted Isaiah McDuffie in the sixth round but needed more competition for a starting job for Oren Burks and Krys Barnes.
Fast forward to June, and Gutekunst signed veteran De'Vondre Campbell to a one-year, $2 million deal. It was a smart, low-risk move. The Packers were getting a veteran and former fourth-round pick who was instantly the best linebacker on the roster.
He soon became one of the best in the league.
Campbell enjoyed a dominant first season in Green Bay, finishing with 146 tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks, six quarterback hits, five pass defenses, and two interceptions. He made plays against the run, didn't give up much in coverage, and used his speed to limit big plays in the middle of the field.
Campbell was arguably the Packers' best player on defense, earning first-team All-Pro honors and a new multi-year contract in the offseason.
The Packers' need for an inside linebacker had been a concern for several years, and previous attempts to find a long-term starter had failed. Gutekunst's signing of Campbell proved to be one of his smartest decisions in free agency. Campbell has started 40 games across three seasons in Green Bay.
3. Za'Darius Smith
The Packers made three big signings in the opening week of 2019 free agency. One was the addition of former Baltimore Ravens pass rusher Za'Darius Smith.
Gutekunst hit the reset button at edge rusher. Having released Nick Perry and let Clay Matthews move on, the Packers aggressively addressed the position in free agency and the draft, bringing in Za'Darius Smith, Preston Smith, and Rashan Gary.
Za'Darius Smith was Green Bay's best pass rusher in his first two seasons with the team. In that time, Smith started all 32 games and earned back-to-back Pro Bowl honors, finishing with 26 sacks, 60 quarterback hits, and five forced fumbles. His game-changing ability helped the Packers reach consecutive NFC Championship Games.
Unfortunately, injury limited Smith to only one game in 2021, and the Packers released him the following offseason in a cap-saving move.
Smith has since had another double-digit sack season with the Minnesota Vikings and most recently played for the Cleveland Browns. While it's a shame his stay in Green Bay didn't last longer, he produced several memorable moments, often stepping up with big plays at crucial times.
Gutekunst spent big to fix the pass rush in 2019, and the Smith Bros. played a crucial role in the Packers' defensive improvements.
2. Adrian Amos
Another big move the Packers made in 2019 free agency was to steal safety Adrian Amos from the Chicago Bears. Safety was one of the team's top needs, and Amos gave them a reliable veteran who rarely made mistakes.
Not only did Amos never miss a game during his four years in Green Bay, but he barely missed a snap. From 2019 to 2022, he played 4,069 defensive snaps for the Packers and was consistently one of the top safeties in the NFL.
In 66 starts, Amos made 362 tackles, 30 pass defenses, and seven interceptions.
He saved some of his best performances for games against the Bears. Amos intercepted two passes against Chicago, including a game-winner in his Packers debut.
Gutekunst hit a home run by signing Amos. Along with first-round pick Darnell Savage, Amos fixed one of the Packers' top offseason needs. The secondary went from a weakness to the strength of the entire defense.
While Za'Darius Smith had more game-changing plays, Amos is higher on the list for producing four seasons of high-level play, rarely making mistakes, and almost never missing a snap. The Packers didn't have to release Amos, allowing his contract to play out before moving on in 2023.
1. Preston Smith
Production. Leadership. Loyalty. Preston Smith has it all, and he is still one of the most consistent and reliable members of the Packers' defense entering 2024.
Like Za'Darius Smith and Amos, Preston Smith signed with the Packers during the opening week of free agency five years ago, and he remains a key starter at edge rusher.
There's a reason the Packers want Smith to stick around for another season. He gives his all on every snap. Smith has missed only one game for Green Bay—and his entire NFL career—while consistently making an impact. Across five seasons with the Packers, Smith has made 41.5 sacks, 92 quarterback hits, 40 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles, 14 pass defenses, and one interception.
While he didn't consistently post the same sack numbers as Za'Darius Smith, Preston is a far more reliable run defender, earning PFF run defense grades above 72 in two of the past three seasons.
Smith will return for his sixth season with the Packers in 2024. He agreed to take a pay cut this offseason, a move that creates cap space but also ensures Green Bay retains one of its most important defensive players.
Gutekunst has made many smart moves in free agency, but signing Smith is at the top of the list.