Getty Krys Barnes #51 of the Green Bay Packers reacts after a defensive play against the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth quarter during the at M&T Bank Stadium on December 19, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland.
The Green Bay Packers tendered six of their eight exclusive rights free agents before the new league year began on March 16, including a few contributors who could compete for starting jobs with the team in 2022.
According to the NFL’s official list of free agents for the start of the new year, the Packers submitted tenders for the following six players: inside linebacker Krys Barnes (23 starts over the past two seasons), offensive tackle Yosh Nijman (eight starts in 2021), center Jake Hanson (2020 sixth-round pick), tight end Dominique Dafney, outside linebacker Randy Ramsey and wide receiver Malik Taylor.
Qualifying offers were not, however, made to backup safety Henry Black and outside linebacker Chauncey Rivers. Both are now unrestricted free agents and can begin to negotiate new deals with other teams for next season.
Additionally, the NFL also confirmed the Packers’ decision to place a second-round restricted free agent tender on wide receiver Allen Lazard on Wednesday afternoon. The Packers will still need him to officially sign his tender, but they have taken the first step toward making sure he will remain a part of their offense for the 2022 season.
The Packers were required to submit all of their tenders prior to the start of the new NFL year at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, meaning they had to account for all seven of their tendered players’ cap charges while working to get under the salary cap for 2022. It is not yet clear which other moves were made to help them offset the costs.
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Barnes & Nijman Could Win Starting Jobs in 2022
The Packers’ six exclusive rights free agents have varying degrees of importance to next year’s roster. Some of them — like Taylor and Dafney — appear to be on their last legs with the team and could have to fight hard to win their roster spots in the offseason and training camp. A few of them, though, have genuine shots at starting jobs in 2022.
Let’s start with Barnes. The former undrafted free agent has started 23 games over the past two seasons with the Packers and amassed a combined 161 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two sacks and two fumble recoveries. While nobody is expecting him to challenge All-Pro starter De’Vondre Campbell for green-dot privileges in 2022, he remains their best option to pair with him in two-linebacker sets.
An offseason addition — potentially through the draft — could still change Barnes’ standing on the depth chart, but the job is his to lose for the time being.
The other potential starter on the list is Nijman. As the Packers’ third-string left tackle, he was called upon to make his first career start in Week 3 of the 2021 season after Elgton Jenkins was ruled out with an ankle injury. The result was him matching up directly with San Francisco powerhouse Nick Bosa and allowing zero pressures.
Nijman went on to start the next two games for the Packers before sliding back to a bench role. Then, once Jenkins tore his ACL later in the season, he stepped in again at left tackle for another five starts until David Bakhtiari was declared active for the regular-season finale against the Detroit Lions. According to Pro Football Focus, Nijman allowed just three sacks and 20 total pressures across 355 pass-blocking snaps at left tackle in 2022.
Now, the Packers will presumably have Bakhtiari back in time for the start of the 2022 season, so there won’t be any competition for the starting spot on that side of the line, but perhaps Nijman’s solid season will earn him consideration on the right side. The team needs a new starting right tackle after releasing Billy Turner. Maybe a homegrown guy like Nijman could give them an affordable answer at the position.
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Packers Tender 6 Free Agents, Including 2 Potential Starters