The Green Bay Packers made several moves during the first week of free agency.
They had several impact players leave for new teams, made a couple of notable trades, and signed some new, fresh faces. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst stated during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combined that he believes the team already has the core players in place to make a Super Bowl run.
Gutekunst is now adding the complementary pieces to round out the roster and give it quality depth. Green Bay still has some needs, specifically along the defensive line and in the secondary. There are still plenty of quality free agents available, and of course the 2026 NFL Draft is just over one month away.
Green Bay Packers Receive Poor Grade From Pro Football Focus Following 1st Week of Free Agency
The folks at the polarizing analytics site aren’t very high on how the Packers have handled the offseason so far, giving them an overall grade of a D. They were particularly low on the trade of defensive lineman Colby Wooden for linebacker Zaire Franklin:
“A player-for-player swap likely means the Packers are willing to let pending free agent linebacker Quay Walker sign elsewhere. Franklin is coming off the lowest-graded season of his career but has played more than 1,000 snaps in each of the past four seasons. Wooden was on the field for 622 snaps for the Packers last season and will provide some depth for the Colts, though he has yet to earn a 60.0-plus PFF overall grade for a season.”
However, they liked the deal for edge rusher Rashan Gary for a 2027 fourth-round pick much better:
“Gary’s PFF pass-rush grade has dropped consistently in each of the past four seasons, so the Cowboys are unlikely to be acquiring a major pass-rush threat. However, he has remained an above-average run defender and still racked up 60 quarterback pressures last season. There is still some upside for Dallas, which sent a 2027 fourth-round draft pick for the 28-year-old. It’s even better business for the Packers after Gary announced his departure days ago on Instagram before reports indicated his account was hacked.”
PFF didn’t mind the acquisitions of cornerback Benjamin St. Juste and defensive lineman Javon Hargrave, as long as they remain in rotational roles:
“St-Juste moved into a reserve role in his lone season with the Chargers, playing 378 snaps after seeing 650 snaps or more in each of the previous three seasons with the Washington Commanders. It benefited him well, as he earned a career-high 77.8 PFF coverage grade. He has shown a knack for breaking up passes, with 32 pass breakups in five seasons, and is a good fit as a rotational player in Green Bay’s defense.”
“Hargrave’s tenure in Minnesota lasted just one season after he signed a three-year, $51 million contract last offseason. The 33-year-old recorded a 12.4% pass-rush win rate and 31 pressures in 2025, but his PFF run-defense grade fell below 58.0 for the sixth consecutive season. At this stage of his career, Hargrave may be best suited for a rotational role focused primarily on interior pass rushing.”
Packers Linked to Multiple Remaining Free Agents
GettyQB Kirk Cousins
There is still plenty of time for Green Bay to add impact players and have a productive offseason. Quarterback Jordan Love needs a quality backup after losing Malik Willis, and ESPN recently marked veteran Kirk Cousins as a possibility. The Packers have also often been linked to former first-round draft pick Anthony Richardson.
As mentioned above, Green Bay needs help in the secondary, specifically for an outside cornerback. Veteran L’Jarius Sneed recently hit the open market, and fits that bill. It has also been reported that the Packers have interest in adding edge rusher Josh Sweat, who requested a trade from the Arizona Cardinals last week.
Packers Hit With Low Grade Following 1st Week of Free Agency