Gridiron Heroics
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • Arizona Cardinals Could Have Two RB1s Says Potential Fantasy Sleeper
    • Cleveland Browns: Shedeur Sanders Gets Put on the Spot by Fan With Prime Time Question
    • “I’m Still Going To Fear Him”: Travis Kelce’s Rumored Decline Unless Confirmed, Gets Real Talk From Emmanuel Acho
    • “You Ain’t Nowhere To Be Found”: Dez Bryant Mocks Micah Parsons In Latest Banter With Cowboys DE
    • “Panama With The Boys”: George Kittle Takes Snap With Kyle Juzszcyk, Ricky Pearsall In Off-Season Golf Session
    • Cowboys’ Trade for George Pickens Rated as One of the Riskiest Offseason Moves — Here’s Why
    • Why Jaguars’ Move for Travis Hunter Is a Big Risk, per NFL Analysis
    • NFL Report Highlights Where Dak Prescott’s Cowboys Deal Rank Among the NFL’s Worst Contracts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Our Writers
    • Write for Gridiron Heroics
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Gridiron Heroics
    SUBSCRIBE FOR UPDATES
    • NFL
      • AFC East
        • AFC East
        • Buffalo Bills
        • Miami Dolphins
        • New England Patriots
        • New York Jets
      • AFC North
        • Baltimore Ravens
        • Cincinnati Bengals
        • Cleveland Browns
        • Pittsburgh Steelers
      • AFC South
        • Houston Texans
        • Indianapolis Colts
        • Jacksonville Jaguars
        • Tennessee Titans
      • AFC West
        • Denver Broncos
        • Kansas City Chiefs
        • Las Vegas Raiders
        • Los Angeles Chargers
      • NFC East
        • Dallas Cowboys
        • New York Giants
        • Philadelphia Eagles
        • Washington Commanders
      • NFC North
        • Chicago Bears
        • Detroit Lions
        • Green Bay Packers
        • Minnesota Vikings
      • NFC South
        • Atlanta Falcons
        • Carolina Panthers
        • New Orleans Saints
        • Tampa Bay Buccaneers
      • NFC West
        • Arizona Cardinals
        • Los Angeles Rams
        • San Francisco 49ers
        • Seattle Seahawks
    • Fantasy Football
    • College Football
    • NFL Draft
    • PODCAST
    Gridiron Heroics
    Home»NFL»Green Bay Packers»4 Unrestricted Free Agents That The Packers Should Absolutely Re-Sign
    Green Bay Packers

    4 Unrestricted Free Agents That The Packers Should Absolutely Re-Sign

    Stephen MentiBy Stephen MentiFebruary 1, 2023Updated:April 24, 2023No Comments5 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    5 unrestricted free agents
    Photo by Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    What Are Unrestricted Free Agents?

    According to NFL.com, unrestricted free agents are any players with four or more accrued seasons and an expired contract. They are free to negotiate with any team. Restricted free agents are players with three accrued seasons and an expired contract. They are also free to negotiate with any team but their original team can make “various qualifying offers (“tenders”) that come with the right of first refusal and/or draft-pick compensation.”

    Cap Issues

    The Packers head into the 2023 off-season with questions on what they should do with their cap and their unrestricted free agents. Currently, the Packers have $-25,052,478 in cap space. Some magic needs to happen; the top five highest-paid players on the roster (Rodgers, Bakhtiari, Clark, Alexander, and Jones) account for 55% of the cap space.

    Rodgers and Bakhtiari, the top two paid players in Green Bay, account for 26.69% of the cap space and will need to restructure their contracts if they wish to remain on the team. Clark’s and Alexander’s contract bonuses are due soon and restructuring those will save a lot of space. Jones is a trade candidate, seeing as he is 28 years old and the Packers have AJ Dillon on his rookie contract. If anything is to be done with the unrestricted free agents, something needs to be done about these players’ contracts.

    A few unrestricted free agents that are fan favorites may not return in 2023. Mason Crosby had one of his best years, but only made one kick over 50 yards. Allen Lazard is a beast blocker but may be too expensive. Dean Lowry is an ironman who hasn’t missed a game in three seasons but was placed on IR at the end of 2022. Randall Cobb is the only Packers receiver besides Lazard to play multiple seasons with Rodgers, but he is getting old. It will be hard to see these players leave, but the Packers will still (hopefully) try to hang onto a few of their unrestricted free agents.

    The Unrestricted Free Agents (2023 salaries in millions)

    • Adrian Amos FS 29.8 $9.0
    • Randall Cobb WR 32.4 $9.0
    • Dean Lowry DE 28.6 $6.775
    • Mason Crosby K 38.3 $4.3
    • Allen Lazard WR 27.1 $3.986
    • Robert Tonyan Jr TE 28.8 $3.75
    • Jarran Reed DE 30.1 $3.25
    • Marcedes Lewis TE 38.7 $2.96
    • Dallin Leavitt S 28.4 $1.2
    • Rudy Ford S 27.2 $1.137
    • Eric Wilson OLB 28.3 $1.035
    • Keisean Nixon CB 25.6 $.965
    • Justin Hollins OLB 27 .706
    • Yosh Nijman T 26.9 .54

    4 Unrestricted Free Agents That The Packers Should Absolutely Re-Sign

    4. Rudy Ford, FS, 28 years old

    QACGORIRCZAELFSPSNPQ4I452Y
    Green Bay Packers Safety Rudy Ford (20) tackles Rhamondre Stevenson (38) – Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/AP Photo

    Rudy Ford signed with the Packers in the 2022 off-season as a special teamer on a one-year deal. Ford, along with coach Bisaccia, KR Keisean Nixon, and P Pat O’Donnell, helped turn the Packers’ special teams unit around from last in the league in 2021 to 22nd in 2022. The gunner also filled in admirably for Adrian Amos when the latter was injured against the Patriots. He is one of the league’s fastest and most skilled gunners, reaching 22 MPH twice in 2020. Special teams unrestricted free agents usually don’t demand a large salary (an average of $2.775 million) so the Packers could probably afford him.

    3. Marcedes Lewis, TE, 38 years old

    download
    Green Bay Packers Tight End Marcedes Lewis – Photo by AP Photo/Brett Duke

    Big Dog will be entering his 18th season in 2023, setting the record for most seasons played by a tight end. Lewis is important in the run game where he is primarily used as a blocker for the Packers’ offense. If the Packers don’t resign Lewis or Tonyan, that would leave Josiah Deguara as the team’s only tight end. The Packers will need to draft a tight end in 2023, and the 38-year-old Lewis’ veteran presence will be key in developing the young talent. His last three contracts with the Packers were in the  $2.1 – $2.25 million range, so expect about the same if he resigns in 2023.

    2. Yosh Nijman, T, 26 years old

    1423184481.0
    Green Bay Packers Tackle Yosh Nijman – Photo by David Berding/Getty Images

    The Green Bay Packers offensive line was an ever-changing unit at the beginning of the 2022 season. Yosh Nijman is one of the constants on the offensive line where he started 13 games with 756 snaps in 2022. On those snaps, Nijman committed six penalties and allowed four sacks. David Bakhtiari’s time with the Packers is coming to an end soon and the Packers will need a veteran on the line to replace him. Spotrac.com calculates that his market value going forward is $3.2 million per year, which isn’t so bad for an offensive tackle. Nijman is one of the unrestricted free agents that Green Bay cannot allow to walk this off-season.

    1. Keisean Nixon, CB/KR, 25 years old

    USATSI 19358192 168390100 lowres
    Green Bay Packers CB/KR Keisean Nixon – Photo by Gregory Fisher/USA TODAY Sports

    Keisean Nixon is a priority re-signing for the Packers’ unrestricted free agents. Nixon was 2022’s PFWA All-NFL team kick returner. An absolute game changer, Nixon turned a position that was a liability for the Packers into an asset. Finishing 2022 with 1,009 return yards and a touchdown, he had eight games in a row where he eclipsed 100 return yards. In this writer’s humble opinion, I believe that the Packers need to do whatever they can to retain Nixon. This article hypothesizes that Nixon will earn around $3.45 million per year if resigned.

    Get the latest Pro and College Football news, analysis, and breaking stories on the NFL, NCAA, Fantasy Football, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, so you never miss a story from the football field.

    Green Bay Packers Keisean Nixon Marcedes Lewis Rudy Ford unrestricted free agents Yosh Nijman
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Avatar of Stephen Menti
    Stephen Menti
    • Twitter

    Cheesehead, Mini Schnauzer Dad, Fantasy Football Degenerate, Destroyer of Buffalo Wings. Follow me on Twitter @stephen_menti

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Arizona Cardinals

    Arizona Cardinals Could Have Two RB1s Says Potential Fantasy Sleeper

    By Rex VillasJune 17, 20250
    Cleveland Browns

    Cleveland Browns: Shedeur Sanders Gets Put on the Spot by Fan With Prime Time Question

    By Rex VillasJune 17, 20250
    Kansas City Chiefs

    “I’m Still Going To Fear Him”: Travis Kelce’s Rumored Decline Unless Confirmed, Gets Real Talk From Emmanuel Acho

    By Ernest Leo HernandezJune 17, 20250
    NFL

    “You Ain’t Nowhere To Be Found”: Dez Bryant Mocks Micah Parsons In Latest Banter With Cowboys DE

    By Ernest Leo HernandezJune 17, 20250
    Gridiron Heroics Writers
    Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    READ MORE
    2024 NFL Draft Aaron Rodgers Baltimore Ravens Bill Belichick Buffalo Bills Caleb Williams Chicago Bears Chiefs Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns College Football Dak Prescott Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Deshaun Watson Detroit Lions Donald Trump Football Green Bay Packers Joe Burrow Josh Allen Justin Fields Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets NFL NFL Draft nfl news NFL Rumors Patrick Mahomes Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers Russell Wilson San Francisco 49ers shedeur sanders Tampa Bay Buccaneers Taylor Swift Tom Brady Travis Kelce Washington Commanders
    Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Editorial Process
    • Contact Us
    • Corporate
    © 2025 Gridiron Heroics.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.