The safety position is potentially the biggest need that the Green Bay Packers have to address this offseason. The good news is that this is a fairly deep free agent class at the position, although Green Bay will have to be conscious of what the team spends.
Of the 100 free agents that made PFF’s top-100 list, 14 of them were at the safety position – the most of any position on the list. Since this is a deep free-agent class, there can be quality starters found on contracts that suit the Packers’ salary cap situation. The top free agents will still collect big paydays, but as basic economics has taught us, the more quality options that are available on an open market will help keep prices, or contracts in this instance, from going wild and oftentimes providing alternatives that won’t break the bank.
Of the safeties who are still available, five are projected to earn under $6 million per year on average, a digestible amount even for the cap-strapped Packers, especially if it’s a multi-year deal or void years are utilized to spread out the cap hit. This group includes Adrian Amos, who the Packers are interested in bringing back, according to SI’s Bill Huber, along with Duron Harmon, Donovan Wilson, Rodney McLeod, and Juan Thornhill. Some names to know outside of PFF’s top-100 are Lamarcus Joyner, Terrell Edmunds, and Kareem Jackson. Re-signing Rudy Ford would make a lot of sense as well.
Prior to the Keisean Nixon re-signing becoming official, the Packers had just over $24 million in available cap space. However, with a trade for Aaron Rodgers looming, that number would then shrink to roughly $15.5 million. That figure also doesn’t take into account other incoming expenses such as free agent signings, the draft class, or money for in-season spending.
Green Bay has a few contract restructures left at their disposal with De’Vondre Campbell, Rasul Douglas, Pat O’Donnell, and Jon Runyan, not to mention that they can extend Rashan Gary, but all of their significant cap-saving moves have been used. That is unless they are able to trade Darnell Savage.
Addressing the safety position in free agency feels like a must for the Packers, given that this year’s draft class is lacking top-end talent and had very few standouts at the NFL Combine. Even with a veteran addition, Green Bay should still add to the safety position in the draft, but relying solely on that avenue comes with obvious risks.
Another option (and one that is already on the roster) to help fill the void at safety could be moving Rasul Douglas there, something GM Brian Gutekunst discussed as a possibility while at the combine.
As it currently stands, Savage is the only player on the roster with any substantial safety experience. But, as we know, he was relegated to backup duties for a few games last season and is at his best in the slot, which still leaves a need for two safeties. To make matters worse, even with the uncertainty at this position, Green Bay has a large chunk of cap space devoted to it, with Savage earning just shy of $8 million in 2023, while Amos left behind a dead cap hit of $7.9 million.
Other options on the roster to take snaps at safety are Tariq Carpenter, James Wiggins, and Innis Gaines.
