Who does not like a good bargain, involving picking up something significantly under priced but that still provides good value. There is a special joy for NFL general managers who pick up a good bargain. In the current wave of free-agency, teams are searching for an inexpensive player who can still contribute. Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst is also on the hunt for free agent bargains leading up to 2023, with some fantastic options at tight end and across the defense.
Possible Bargain Free Agents for Brian Gutekunst and the Green Bay Packers
In seasons past, Brian Gutekunst has shown a good eye for finding free-agent bargains. He has been able to find players like De’Vondre Campbell, Jared Veldheer, and Rudy Ford through the later stages of free agency. Those players did not demand a lot of money but ended up producing for the Green Bay Packers.
The Packers are in dire need of free agents for Brian Gutekunst’s bargain-shopping skills this season. For one, their salary cap is tight and some might say in shambles (sorry for those who consider Russ Ball a salary cap “wizard”). Unfortunately, the Packers have some major holes on their roster as a consequence of Gutekunst’s past failures in past NFL drafts.
Fortunately, Gutekunst has set up the offensive line, cornerback, and running back positions with proper depth and talent. This will allow him to focus on a backup quarterback, defensive line, tight end, and safety in free agency. Here are several possible target free agents for Brian Gutekunst leading up to 2023.
Akiem Hicks, Defensive Line
Packers fans know Akiem Hicks very well. Hicks was a standout member of the Chicago Bears from 2016-2021. During that span, he posted an impressive 31 sacks, several of them against the Packers.
Hicks departed Chicago after 2021 and signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played in 11 games and registered one sack. Now at 33-years old, the days of Hicks playing excessive snaps are gone. But Hicks could be a solid rotational player.
The Packers have two young and potentially solid defensive linemen in T.J. Slaton and Devonte Wyatt. Hicks could be a good veteran presence to both players while still contributing in a rotation. If Hicks could be just the quarter of the player he once was, it would benefit standout defensive lineman Kenny Clark and the rest of the defensive line.
Dan Arnold, Tight End
The Packers are in dire need of help at tight end. Brian Gutekunst has not spent much capital on the position and it shows. Things will be even tougher now that Robert Tonyan is a Bear and Marcedes Lewis expected to sign elsewhere.
Gutekunst is expected (and should) select a tight-end high in this year’s NFL Draft. But he should not stop there. Currently, the only tight ends on the Packers roster are Josiah Deguara and Tyler Davis. Deguara is more of an h-back than a tight end and Davis is just flat-out bad. The Packers need talent and depth at the position.
One free agent tight end that could be an asset for Matt LaFleur and his offense is Dan Arnold. Arnold is strictly a receiving tight end; any time he spends blocking is shocking. But he is a capable pass catcher. While he only had nine catches for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022, the prior season he had 28 catches for 314 yards. Arnold could be a bargain free agent for Brian Gutekunst, giving quarterback Jordan Love a nice pass-catching option at tight end.
John Johnson, Safety
To say the Packers need help at safety would be an understatement. Adrian Amos, who has been the veteran leader of the Green Bay Packers secondary, is not expected to be re-signed. Darnell Savage had his fifth-year option picked up, but that does not appear to be a good thing. Savage lost his starting spot last year due to being one of the worst tacklers in the NFL and appears to be a first-round bust. Rudy Ford, who replaced Savage as a starter, was re-signed. But his ability is limited.
Similar to tight end, safety is expected to be addressed early in the NFL Draft. But Gutekunst needs to find two starters and he could find one of them in the bargain bin of free agents. John Johnson, most recently of the Cleveland Browns, fits what the Packers are looking for.
While Johnson has played the past two seasons for the Browns, prior to that, he played for the Los Angeles Rams. The same Rams team that both LaFleur and defensive coordinator Joe Barry were on the coaching staff for. His best season came in 2018 with the Rams, where he had four interceptions, forced one fumble, defended 11 passes, and had 119 combined tackles. With his knowledge of Barry’s system and being a proven veteran, he would be a good pickup for the Packers.
Teddy Bridgewater, Quarterback
It seems that matching Jordan Love with a veteran backup quarterback would be the best possible scenario for the Packers. But the Packers also need a backup who is capable of taking snaps if something were to happen to Love.
Knowing all that, Teddy Bridgewater would be the best option. A former first-round quarterback himself, Bridgewater has started a lot of NFL games and has gone through some difficult situations (like the injury that almost cost him his career and leg) and is still playing. Love could not only lean on Bridgewater, but could also learn a thing or two from the veteran quarterback.
Main Image: Trevor Ruszkowski – USA TODAY Sports
