The NFC is there for the taking and the Green Bay Packers have every reason to believe they can make the jump to the very top of the conference in 2024. The Packers took the 49ers to the brink in the postseason, and if it weren't for a missed field goal, who knows how things might have turned out?
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst has already indicated he realizes just how close his roster is by going after former All-Pro running back Josh Jacobs in free agency, as well as adding big-money safety Xavier McKinney to revamp the secondary. But what could come next?
What moves could vault the Packers' roster to "best in the NFC" status?
1. Sign safety Justin Simmons
One of the best moves the Packers (or any team, for that matter) could make at this point is signing veteran safety Justin Simmons. No player has more interceptions across the entire NFL since 2016 than Simmons. He is more than a ballhawk in the secondary -- he's a player who is rarely (if ever) out of place.
He directs traffic. He knows where the ball is heading. He creates turnovers not just by picking off passes but by coming up against the run and forcing fumbles. Simmons is a Walter Payton Man of the Year candidate every year and is incredible for the locker room and community.
Why would you not pair this guy up with Xavier McKinney on the back end of Jeff Hafley's defense? Even though Simmons and Hafley didn't cross paths there, they even have the common bond of Boston College.
2. Trade for wide receiver Tee Higgins
Let's keep on beating this dead horse, even though Tee Higgins and the Packers have been discussed now for what feels like a century.
Higgins is likely available for the right price this offseason, and the Packers have an overabundance of draft capital. They currently have 11 selections in the 2024 NFL Draft, and with the roster as it's currently constructed, are they going to be able to have 11 rookies make the team? The Packers may be uniquely qualified to spend a pick or two on Higgins and not really notice them being gone.
Higgins would give the Packers a legitimate WR1 on the roster. Although it would create a situation with Christian Watson of the "what next?" variety, the chance to add a stud like Higgins might not be something the Packers will want to pass on.
3. Sign linebacker Isaiah Simmons
The opportunity to add a versatile player like Isaiah Simmons at safety/linebacker could be really fascinating for the Green Bay Packers. This is a team that will be looking for help/depth in both of those particular areas, and Simmons is a former first-round pick with a ton of talent.
The Packers making a change at defensive coordinator and bringing in Jeff Hafley is a signal that they not only buy Hafley's scheme but his ability with talent development. In that case, the Packers should be looking to bring in guys like Simmons with a ton of talent and still only 25 years old.
4. Sign cornerback Tre'Davious White
Although the Packers have had enough of dealing with injured players at the cornerback position, it might not be a terrible idea to bring in a veteran like Tre'Davious White. In today's NFL, you can never have too much cornerback help. The reality is that every NFL team has essentially three starters at corner, and there aren't 96 good ones to go around at this point.
White is a great player when healthy, but that's been a pretty big asterisk for him. But when it comes to taking a risk for one year on a good player, there might not be any better options available. The former first-round pick out of LSU has 18 career interceptions and a lot of experience in big games. The Packers wouldn't have to break the bank here, and White is a really good player who could be a fantastic one-year investment.
5. Sign wide receiver Laviska Shenault
Laviska Shenault has not been in a competent coaching situation yet as an NFL player, unfortunately. He was drafted by Jacksonville in 2020, who were the worst team in the NFL, and the whole coaching staff was fired. The next year, he was coached by Urban Meyer, who was fired before the end of his first season.
After being traded to Carolina, he was on yet another roster in which the coach was fired before the year was out (Matt Rhule). The 2023 season, guess what happened? That's right, Shenault's coach -- Frank Reich -- was fired before the end of his first season.
For a player who is somewhat "positionless," having incompetent coaching has been critical. Getting him on a team like the Packers with Matt LaFleur would be a drastic, desperately-needed change of scenery.