Packers Proving To Be Players In Free Agency

By Nick Freimuth

Thanks to first year general manager Brian Gutekunst, the Green Bay Packers are major players in free agency. Gone are the days where “cheese heads” would have to wait until the second or third week of free agency for the first addition to the team is announced. The team is expected to make the signings official today of six-time Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham and fellow Pro Bowl defensive lineman Mo Wilkerson. Many other top flight free agents have already found new homes as well, but the list of 525 players that are now free agents in the NFL is far from completely re-signed.

There are four types of players engaged in free agency: restricted free agents, unrestricted free agents, franchise players and transition players. Green Bay does not have any franchise or transition players. Here is a look at the Packers unrestricted free agents with four or more accrued seasons in the NFL. According to the NFL, in the event that a player in this category has not signed a player contract with a club by July 23, 2018 or the first scheduled day of the first 2018 NFL training camp, whichever is later, he may negotiate or sign a player contract from July 23 until the Tuesday following Week 10 of the regular season, at 4:00 p.m., only with his prior club, provided that the prior club has extended such player a May 8 tender.

In the event the player has not signed a player contract with a club by May 8, 2018, and if his prior club has not extended the player a May 8 tender or has withdrawn the tender, the player shall be completely free to negotiate and sign a player contract with any club without any penalty or restriction, including, but not limited to, draft choice compensation between clubs or first rights of any kind, or any signing period.

Brooks, Ahmad	LB	Virginia
Burnett, Morgan	DB	Georgia Tech
Dial, Quinton	NT	Alabama
Evans, Jahri	G	Bloomsburg
Goode, Brett	LS	Arkansas
House, Davon	DB	New Mexico State
Janis, Jeff	WR	Saginaw Valley State
John, Ulrick	T	Georgia State
Rodgers, Richard	TE	California

Next, is the list of unrestricted free agents with fewer than four accrued seasons who received no qualifying offer or minimum tender from the Green Bay Packers. The players in the following category may sign a player contract with any club without any penalty or restriction, including, but not limited to, draft choice compensation between clubs or first refusal rights of any kind, or any signing period.