Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst told reporters in January that the team is “going to have to add numbers” at the safety position in 2024. Could their search lead them to a potential rising star in NFL free agency?
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine believes the Packers might have a chance to do just that if the Washington Commanders decide against placing the franchise tag on starting strong safety Kamren Curl before the March 5 deadline.
Curl emerged as one of the most versatile pieces on the Commanders’ defense in 2023, lining up all over their secondary and demonstrating good instincts both in coverage and against the run. While his growth could motivate the Commanders to reinvest in him, new head coach Dan Quinn may have a different vision for their 2024 defense.
In that case, Curl would become a “logical target” for the Packers in Ballentine’s eyes.
“If the Packers can carve out some salary-cap space, then Curl would be a logical target. Darnell Savage, [Jonathan] Owens and Rudy Ford are all set to hit free agency, and new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has a strong background in working with secondaries,” Ballentine wrote on February 15. “He could help elevate Curl’s game to the next level and add some ball production to his impressive skill set.”
While Pro Football Focus projects the Commanders to keep Curl and pay him $16.26 million under the franchise tag next season, the Packers would have a chance to sign him for less annually — over more years — if he reaches NFL free agency. If he does, Spotrac’s market projections expect him to sign a four-year deal worth $57.7 million.
Kamren Curl’s Versatility Could Appeal to Packers
Versatility could be Curl’s biggest selling point if he ends up hitting the open market. According to Pro Football Focus, he played a career-high 1,088 defensive snaps for the Commanders in 2023 and split his time between roles in the box (428 snaps), in the slot (166) and roaming as a deep-field free safety (422). He also thrived in coverage despite his shifting alignments, allowing a career-low catch percentage (69.2%).
That’s certainly something the Packers could find useful. If they do not re-sign any of their pending free agent safeties, they will be looking to completely rebuild the deep parts of their secondary during the offseason. They could — and probably should — use a high-end draft pick to find a new long-term starter, but adding a veteran would go a long way toward helping that incoming rookie find his footing and settle into the NFL.
It wouldn’t be the first time that Gutekunst tried addressing safety needs in such a way. During the 2019 offseason, he signed veteran Adrian Amos — then 25-year-old — to a four-year, $37 million contract and then used the No. 21 overall pick to select Savage.
Curl is projected to cost more than Amos did, but the Packers might not mind a high investment if it gives them a versatile defensive back who can plug-and-play all over.
Packers’ Salary-Cap Approach Will Define Offseason
As of February 16, the Packers are not in an ideal salary-cap position to consider signing an expensive free agent like Curl. He could wind up being the most expensive safety on the market if Antoine Winfield Jr. and Kyle Dugger re-sign with their respective teams. Meanwhile, Over the Cap projects Green Bay at roughly $2.85 million over the cap.
Realistically, though, the Packers have plenty of levers to pull to clear more cap space.
The Packers could clear chunks of cap space if they cut one or several of the following veterans: David Bakhtiari ($20.93 million), Preston Smith ($12.4 million as a post-June 1 cut), Aaron Jones ($11.3 million as a post-June 1 cut), Kenny Clark ($17 million as a post-June 1 cut) or De’Vondre Campbell ($10.5 million as a post-June 1 cut).
Alternatively, the Packers could also extend or restructure any of those four veterans and still create cap savings for themselves in 2024. Jones and Clark would be the most logical extension candidates from the group, but Keisean Nixon (a pending free agent with void years through 2027) also makes sense as a back-to-back All-Pro returner.
Point being: If the Packers want to create more spending room, they have options.
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Packers Urged to Add Projected $57 Million Safety in Free Agency