The Green Bay Packers are banking on free-agent acquisition Javon Hargrave making a significant impact along the defensive line this season.
Reuniting with defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon could be the key to helping Hargrave rediscover his best form after a difficult season with the Minnesota Vikings. But it's his most recent performances that could give the Packers concern.
Adam Patrick of The Viking Age believes the Hargrave signing could become a move the Packers live to regret.
"Despite their rival not thinking Hargrave was worth the money, for whatever reason, Green Bay decided to sign him to a two-year contract worth $23 million this offseason," Patrick writes.
"Based on how he's played during the last two years as a member of Minnesota and the San Francisco 49ers, there was no reason for the Packers to give him a deal worth more than $11 million per year. Even if Hargrave is decent in 2026, he still likely won't perform at a level that would justify what Green Bay is paying him."
Patrick noted that while Hargrave "wasn't terrible for the Vikings" last season, "his performance clearly wasn't enough to justify" the $21.5 million cap hit the team would've taken on to keep him.
Why the Javon Hargrave gamble is worth it for the Packers
Patrick makes a fair argument. There's absolutely some risk to signing Hargrave. He is 33 years old and has recorded only 4.5 sacks over his past 19 regular-season games for the Vikings and 49ers.
However, the gamble is still worth it for Green Bay.
The two-year, $23 million contract Hargrave signed with the Packers is more team-friendly than it may initially appear. Green Bay has a comfortable out after one season. Hargrave's cap hit is a manageable $7.7 million in 2026 before rising to $15.3 million in 2027, but if the Packers decide to release Hargrave after this season, they could cut $10.5 million off that future cap hit.
Jonathan Gannon is the other big factor. It's no secret that Brian Flores' system didn't play to Hargrave's strengths as a pass-rusher.
Hargrave effectively said so himself, as he retweeted a post on X (formerly Twitter) that read: "If you're DL and wanna get to the QB, Brian Flores' system is not for you."
Flores' system creates nightmares for quarterbacks due to the various moving parts and confusion it causes, but it's not always a scheme that produces the individual results for pass-rushers. Former Vikings defensive tackle Harrison Phillips said something similar in December 2023.
"My initial thoughts selfishly were not super high about (Flores' scheme)," Phillips said, via ESPN's Kevin Seifert. "It was like, 'Dang, the way it's being described is you're an edge setter, you're a cutback player. It seemed like there was not going to be a lot of production through the system."
It's a different story under Gannon. His scheme has helped multiple defensive linemen post career-high sack totals, including Hargrave.
His two best seasons statistically came when playing in Gannon's system in Philadelphia, recording 7.5 sacks in 2021 and 11 in 2022.
Of course, it has been four years since then, and Hargrave's production has declined without Gannon. It's entirely possible that he never reaches those heights again. But Hargrave certainly believes he can.
"I had my best years with him, and he did a lot of things to give me opps, give us all opps. I think just his defense kind of fit some of my style and what I like to do," Hargrave told Larry McCarren in March.
The Vikings didn't get the best out of Hargrave. Was that due to the scheme or down to his production declining later in his career? It's likely a bit of both. And that's why Vikings fans believe Hargrave could be destined to fail in Green Bay.
But Chicago Bears fans said something similar when Julius Peppers signed with the Packers in his age-34 season.
Hargrave needs to improve his production to make the Packers' decision look smart, but reuniting with Gannon gives him every opportunity to achieve that.
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