Green Bay Packers News & Rumors

2) Reset the running game: Injuries to Eddie Lacy and James Starks forced the Packers to get imaginative at running back last year, and the club ultimately turned to converted wide receiver Ty Montgomery to lead the backfield over the final third of the season, with waiver claim Christine Michael chipping in, as well. Montgomery was successful as a back, but he struggled in pass protection and, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com notes, only topped 12 carries once, leaving open the question of whether Montgomery can serve as a foundational running back.

Indeed, Green Bay’s rushing attack is, in some respects, just as mangled as it was in-season. Lacy is scheduled to become a free agent this spring, and while he played well in limited action before suffering a season-ending injury, it’s unclear whether the Packers would be interested in a reunion — especially given Lacy’s weight struggles. A short-term pact could make some sense, but it’s entirely possible that Lacy could find a better offer on the open market. Starks, meanwhile, looks like a prime candidate for release thanks to his 2017 cap charge of $3.75MM and his 2016 yards per carry average of 2.3.

Ideally, the Packers would re-sign either Lacy or Michael to a low-cost deal, give Montgomery an offseason to further adjust to running back, and look for another back in the draft. Running back has been a popular target for Green Bay in recent mock drafts, as both Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN.com (Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey) and Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com (Tennessee’s Alvin Kamara) sent RBs to the Packers in their latest projections. Leonard Fournette and Dalvin Cook will be off the board by the time Green Bay’s turn comes up, but the club could target D’Onta Foreman (Texas), Curtis Samuel (Ohio State), or Matthew Dayes (NC State) later in the draft.

Outside of Lacy, Le’Veon Bell, and Latavius Murray, there’s next to no starting talent available in free agency, and the open market probably isn’t the best place to find a new back anyhow. A few interesting veterans could be released in the coming months, however, and a few could be of note to the Packers. Specifically, Jamaal Charles, Ryan Mathews, and Jonathan Stewart would seemingly fit in the Green Bay offense if released (the former two are more likely to be cut than Stewart).

3) Address the front seven: Green Bay’s defensive line is probably set for the 2017 campaign, as Mike Daniels — one of the more underrated defenders in the NFL — Kenny Clark, and Letroy Guion all played well last season and should make up a solid front next year. The second level of the Packers’ defense, however, needs work, meaning the club could look to add both edge rushers and off-ball linebackers over the next few months.

The key to the revamp could be veteran ‘backer Clay Matthews, who spent time both inside and outside from 2014-15 before moving back to the edge full-time last season. The 30-year-old Matthews struggled, grading as the league’s No. 96 edge defender among 109 qualifiers, according to PFF. But his poor play can be somewhat excused by the nagging injuries that hampered him all year long. Still, given that Matthews will count more than $15MM on Green Bay’s salary cap in 2017, the club will have to at least explore the idea of releasing him or asking him to accept a paycut.

That course of action isn’t set in stone, however, and the Packers could simply hang onto Matthews in the hope that he fully recovers from his 2016 ailments and becomes the force he once was. Alternatively, Green Bay could consider moving Matthews back to inside linebacker, where he’d probably be an improvement over the likes of Jake Ryan, Joe Thomas, and Blake Martinez, and instead focus on bolstering the pass rush through other means. Matthews might not be amendable to such a shift, however, as he’s called outside linebacker his most “natural position.”

Edge options should be plentiful on the open market, but Green Bay’s search should begin with one of its own free agents, pass-rusher Nick Perry. The former first-round pick was forced to sign a one-year, $5MM deal to stay with the Packers last offseason, but he should land a larger contract after posting the best season of his career in 2016. In 14 games, Perry posted 11 sacks (eighth-most in the NFL, and nearly equal to his career total prior to last year) while grading out as an excellent run defender. Only 26 years old, Perry should require a long-term commitment this spring, and Green Bay should be willing to give it to him.

Datone Jones, another former first-rounder, has never seemed like a great scheme fit and figures to look for greener pastures in free agency, while veteran Julius Peppers hasn’t yet decided if he’ll continue his career next season. Even if Peppers does return, the Packers should seek another edge rusher, either through free agency or the draft. Free agent targets might include Jabaal Sheard (whose versatility would play nicely in Green Bay) or a low-cost option in the Cowboys’ Ryan Davis, while the draft could produce acquisitions such as Tennessee’s Derek Barnett, Alabama’s Tim Williams, or Wisconsin’s T.J. Watt.