Packers To Prioritize Tight End In Free Agency?
Packers new general manager Brian Gutekunst has many routes he could potentially take in his first offseason at the helm. Making a splash at tight end in free agency is one of the possibilities according to USA Today’s Pete Dougherty. 
Going after a big name at tight end isn’t unfamiliar territory for the Packers, who swung and miss on their signing of Martellus Bennett in 2017. The team had some success with Jared Cook in recent years, but have lacked a consistent, big-bodied pass catcher at the position for years.
One name that Dougherty thinks should be on the team’s radar is Jimmy Graham, who is unlikely to return to the Seahawks in 2018. The veteran tight end secured his fifth Pro Bowl selection after tallying 57 receptions and 10 touchdowns in 2017.
Adding Graham to a receiver corps that includes Davante Adams, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb would give the team arguably the best pass-catching group in the NFL. Throw in the fact they would also have Aaron Rodgers slinging them the ball and Green Bay’s offense could be a matchup nightmare for defenses.
Graham was the NFL’s top-paid tight end the last four years with average annual salary valued at $10MM. He will almost assuredly not command that type of money after four underwhelming seasons in Seattle by Graham’s standards. A return to a pass-happy attack, however, could see the former Saints great reemerge as an elite option at the position.
Packers Interview Gary Emanuel
- Colts defensive line coach Gary Emanuel has interviewed for the same position with the Packers, according to Alex Marvez of the Sporting News (Twitter link). Emanuel is currently in limbo given that Indianapolis is expected to hire head coach Josh McDaniels and defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, so he’s taking meetings in the interim. After spending six seasons with the Colts, Emanuel would replace Mike Trgovac as Green Bay’s defensive line coach. Trgovac was fired earlier this month as part of a Packers house-cleaning that also included the termination of defensive coordinator Dom Capers.
NFL Workout Updates: 1/17/18
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account:
Carolina Panthers
- Gs Isame Faciane, Josue Matias; S Ed Reynolds (Twitter links)
Detroit Lions
- WRs DeAndre Smelter, Nelson Spruce (Twitter links)
Green Bay Packers
- WR Ja’Juan Story (link)
Indianapolis Colts
- TE Marcus Lucas (link)
New Orleans Saints
Philadelphia Eagles
- WR Chris Matthews (link)
Packers Could Lose Darren Perry
- Now that he’s been passed over for a promotion to Packers defensive coordinator, cornerbacks coach Darren Perry is interviewing to become the Texans‘ secondary coach, according to Marvez (Twitter link). Perry, who’s worked in Green Bay since 2009, would replace John Butler, who was fired by Houston earlier this month. One of three internal candidates to replace former Packers DC Dom Capers, Perry could now leave Green Bay given that Mike Pettine is leading the club’s defense. However, Perry isn’t a lock to defect from the Packers, per Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, while Texans assistant defensive backs coach Anthony Midget is also in the running for Houston’s secondary coach job, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.
Damarious Randall Undergoes Surgery
- Damarious Randall‘s offseason began with a hand surgery to correct a problem the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Michael Cohen reports (on Twitter) the Packers cornerback played through all season. Cohen called it a minor procedure, while ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports (on Twitter) that operation will sideline Randall for up to two months.
McCarthy Expressed Concerns Over GM
- Packers head coach Mike McCarthy reportedly met with team president and CEO Mark Murphy and expressed concerns Russ Ball wouldn’t be aggressive in free agency, USA Today’s Pete Dougherty reports. The meeting in theory caused Murphy to not promote Ball to general manager after Ted Thompson left the spot. Dougherty has doubts that the meeting had any impact on the situation. He also laid out another theory that Murphy preferred Brian Gutekunst all along for the job.
Packers Hire Ex-Giants Assistant
- New Packers DC Mike Pettine hired former Giants and Patriots defensive assistant Patrick Graham, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. A Patriots staffer from 2009-15, coaching both New England’s defensive line and linebackers, the 38-year-old Graham is expected to be in charge of Packers ‘backers in some capacity, per Silverstein. Green Bay’s ILBs job is available, and Graham prefers to coach linebackers rather than D-linemen, Silverstein notes.
Packers Interviewed Doug Whaley
Before settling on Brian Gutekunst as their new GM, the Packers interviewed Doug Whaley for the job, as Michael Cohen of the Journal Sentinel writes. Whaley was the only out-of-house candidate to interview for the job. 
[RELATED: Packers Notes: Whitt, O’Neil, Graham, Staff]
“Doug Whaley really did a job with the interview,” Murphy said. “I think it was not confirmed, but he was the fourth interview. I knew him a little bit, so I enjoyed having a chance to spend some time with him. I’m a Bills fan, so I follow the Bills a little more closely than some of the other teams. But he put together that roster, and it’s a playoff team without a great quarterback. It made the playoffs. They have a good roster. I think that was a tribute to him. Very interesting candidate. Fascinating background. Was a stockbroker for a year, about to be a pilot and done a lot of good things. And obviously served as a GM and his background with the Steelers was intriguing, too.”
The Bills didn’t win a ton of games under Whaley’s watch, but they did snap their playoff drought this year with a roster that has Whaley’s fingerprints all over it. That was enough to garner Whaley interviews for the Packers’ opening as well as the Browns’ GM job, though it’s unlikely that Cleveland genuinely considered any candidate other than John Dorsey.
Packers Notes: Whitt, O’Neil, Graham, Staff
Packers cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt was passed over as Green Bay searched for a new defensive coordinator, but he’ll stay on with the club and receive an elevated title of defensive passing game coordinator, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link). Whitt was one of three internal candidates — in addition to assistant head coach/linebackers Winston Moss and safeties coach Darren Perry — being considered for Packers DC, but former Browns head coach Mike Pettine was ultimately awarded the position. At present, there’s no word as to whether Moss or Perry will remain on staff.
Here’s the latest from Green Bay, with a focus on coaches and front office personnel:
- Now that Pettine has been announced as the Packers’ new defensive coordinator, Green Bay will attempt to fill out a defensive staff. As Adam Caplan of SiriusXM hinted last night, the Packers will interview former 49ers defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil for their linebackers coach position, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. O’Neil, who spent the 2017 campaign out of the NFL, served as Petine’s defensive coordinator when both worked with the Browns from 2014-15. O’Neil’s interview could be a sign that the incumbent Moss is moving on.
- Cignetti isn’t the only ex-Giants assistant whom the Packers could soon hire, as Green Bay will also meet with New York defensive line coach Patrick Graham this week, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). Like O’Neil, Graham could be a candidate for the Packers’ linebackers coach job, reports Silverstein (Twitter link). The 38-year-old Graham spent the past two seasons teaching defensive lineman with Big Blue, but was previously a longtime Patriots staffer, working his way through the ranks to coach both lineman and linebackers in New England.
- Green Bay’s front office has witnessed major upheaval over the past several weeks, as Brian Gutekunst replaced Ted Thompson as general manager while fellow executives Eliot Wolf and Alonzo Highsmith both took new positions with the Browns. More changes will likely be coming, however, and the Packers are expected to consider college scouting director Jon-Eric Sullivan and pro personnel director John Wojciechowski for promotions, tweets Silverstein. Both men could be contenders for an assistant general manager of director of player personnel role.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/10/18
Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2018 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:
Buffalo Bills
Chicago Bears
- CB Jonathon Mincy
Cleveland Browns
Dallas Cowboys
Green Bay Packers
New York Giants
- LB Thurston Armbrister
- OL Laurence Gibson
- RB Jalen Simmons
New York Jets