The Green Bay Packers are one of the few teams that have not had to sign an unlimited free agent since the start of the new competition year.
A team stuck on the salary ceiling hasn’t found any bargains in positions of need, especially cornerback, so the wait continues.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber, the Packers have discovered that “the price is too high” for several cornerback options, a position the team has “explored” in free agency.
Some of the top cornerbacks, including William Jackson, Shaquill Griffin, Ronald Darby and Patrick Peterson, have signed new deals worth $ 10 million or more per year.
Although the cornerbacks are flying off the free-agent board, there are still a few left. On Friday, veterans such as Richard Sherman, Adoree Jackson, Malcolm Butler, Janoris Jenkins and Xavier Rhodes are still available.
The Packers may be able to join as time passes and prices fall.
The Chicago Bears will be adding Kyle Fuller to the pool soon, but Huber’s source did not expect the Packers to be players for the former All-Pro. General manager Brian Gutekunst signed Fuller to a quote sheet in 2018, but the Bears agreed. Fuller is likely to have a large market if he’s officially a free agent.
The Packers lack the wiggle room to take on a major contract, which makes things difficult even in a depressed free market. After having to make a few moves to get under the cap, this always looked like a team negotiating with a free agency.
The Packers brought slot cornerback Chandon Sullivan back to the right side of the initial refusal limited tender, but Kevin King, a starter on the perimeter for the last few years, is an unrestricted free agent and still unsigned. It’s unclear whether the Packers have an interest in having King return in 2021 or if finding an upgrade over the 2017 back-and-forth second round is a priority.
Finding the right veteran in the free run of the fight could be a decisive decision for the Packers defense in 2021. King, while facing 2020 All-Pro Jaire Alexander, struggled with the number of goals that were covered in his cover. thrown. A real upgrade at the No. 2 cornerback spot could help the Packers transform from a good defense to a great one on the frontier this season.