Getty Potential target for Packers free agency Jordan Fuller
When the Packers traded away defensive back Rasul Douglas, they still had talented, if untested, members of the secondary in place. But they no doubt lost some leadership, one of the qualities that younger packers said they’d miss from Douglas. At The Athletic, though, there is an idea for Packers free agency which could help replace that from Douglas—signing free agent safety Jordan Fuller, who has been a captain for the Rams for the past two years.
That comes from the mailbag of beat writer Matt Schneidman, who was asked the question, “We know the Packers are never overly active in free agency, but who are some guys who could potentially be a good fit based on salary cap, roster needs, etc.?”
The first name that Schneidman came up with as a “name to watch” was Fuller, who is in his fourth season in the NFL after having been a sixth-round pick in 2020. Fuller won the starting job as a rookie in 2020, and has been the Rams’ starter at safety ever since, except when he suffered a hamstring injury that limited him to three games in 2022.
Packers Free Agency to Be Determined by Finances
Here’s what Schneidman wrote of Fuller in his February 7, 2024 mailbag:
“Safety Jordan Fuller, who had three interceptions, three forced fumbles and eight pass breakups in 17 games as a Rams captain last season. He’s 25 years old, played for new Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley at Ohio State in 2019 and probably won’t be too expensive.”
That last aspect, too, is especially helpful because the Packers will not have much money to spend, even after the likely departure—by trade or by straight-out release—of tackle David Bakhtiari.
OverTheCap.com had Fuller’s valuation for last season at $7.2 million. The Packers are expected to be $3 million over the cap to start the offseason, but cutting Bakhtiari should bring them closer to $15 million under the cap. The Packers will be in dire need of a safety, with the team’s three top safeties, in terms of snaps taken, (Rudy Ford, Darnell Savage and Jonathan Owens) all heading into free agency.
There will be a good market for safeties in free agency this year, headed by the Buccaneers’ Antoine Winfield and the Patriots’ Kyle Dugger, both of whom would be dream targets for the Packers, but likely too expensive.
Jordan Fuller Played for Jeff Hafley
Fuller’s familiarity with Hafley should be useful, especially given the fact that so many are unfamiliar with him as he heads back into the NFL for the first time since 2018, when he was the 49ers’ defensive backs coach. Since then, he spent a year as the Ohio State defensive coordinator and four seasons as Boston College’s head coach.
Fuller rated a 67.9 grade at Pro Football Focus last year, which ranked 41st out of 95 safeties in the NFL. He played in two playoff games for the Rams and though he was injured for the team’s championship run in 2022, he was on the sideline and is considered a Super Bowl champ.
He was also named the team’s captain for the second straight year as he fought his way back from injury.
“It means everything,” Fuller told TheRams.com about being the team’s captain. “No matter what I’m going through, I just try to be as positive of a person as I can be to be around, for myself as well. Always just keep a positive attitude, always just keep fighting and working hard and caring for my teammates, however I can. I’m just blessed to be in this position, super blessed. And it’s really humbling that they would vote me a captain again, too. I really don’t take that lightly at all.”