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The Green Bay Packers will almost certainly be looking to acquire new wide receiver talent this offseason, but one of the top free-agents fits now sounds a bit out of their price range.
According to The Athletic’s Connor Hughes, star wide receiver Robby Anderson is “highly unlikely” to return next season to the New York Jets with the cost of his next contract expected to be more than they can afford to spend, even for such an impactful piece of their offense.
The 26-year-old wideout caught 207 passes for 3,059 yards and 20 touchdowns in his first four NFL seasons in New York, but he has also made it perfectly clear he isn’t interested in giving the Jets a hometown discount in free agency. Nor should he for a team that hasn’t produced a single winning season since he arrived as a rookie in 2016.
Hughes also cited multiple league sources that believe Anderson’s asking price for a new contract could see him earn an average of $13 to 15 million annually, while Spotrac projections put his market value at about $12 million per year. That’s the same type of money that someone like Odell Beckham Jr. is set to make during the 2020 season.
The Packers were reportedly among the teams interested in trading for Anderson at last season’s trade deadline, but could they really afford to spend that much on someone who would be destined for a No. 2 receiver role?
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Comparing Anderson to Other Top-Tier Wideouts
General manager Brian Gutekunst addressed the deep receiving talent in the upcoming NFL draft, which seems as good a hint as any that the Packers are probably going to use one of their early-round picks on finding a pass-catching partner for Davante Adams. They might even be able to take two of them in this year’s class — like they did when they drafted running backs Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams together in 2017.
But if the Packers were interested in pursuing a new wideout through free agency, there are a few other options that could be more affordable — or with higher ceilings — than Anderson.
For example, Randall Cobb could return to town if the Mike McCarthy-led Dallas Cowboys opt not to keep him around for 2020. Cobb would not only install a pass-catcher familiar with both Adams and quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but he would likely cost much less than other potential options after playing on a one-year, $5 million deal in 2019. A reunion could be just the thing now that the Geronimo Allison experiment has failed.
There is also the rumored possibility the Kansas City Chiefs might part ways with Sammy Watkins, who would be worth a serious look with a market value just shy of $11 million per year.
Packers’ Spending Potential Limited (As Is)
The Packers are expected to make some cost-saving roster cuts before they get into the thick of free agency, but they aren’t looking at nearly the same amount of spending power as last year.
According to salary-cap specialist Ken Ingalls, the Packers would have about $21.6 million in spendable cap if they released both Jimmy Graham and Lane Taylor and signed other necessary pieces, such as draft picks, in-season reserves and members of the practice.
The Packers also have to decide on whether to pay a few of their high-price free agents, including veteran offensive lineman Bryan Bulaga and inside linebacker Blake Martinez. Even if they were to let most of them walk in free agency, it doesn’t open much space to take on an expensive contract like the one Anderson seems due to sign.
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