Packers free agency tracker: Who's coming, who's going and who's staying in Green Bay
The Green Bay Packers have been busy as NFL free agency gets underway. Here's a breakdown of the team's notable moves ahead of the league's annual draft in April.Â
FREE-AGENT ACQUISITIONS
JOSH JACOBS — RB
Green Bay reportedly agreed to terms with running back Josh Jacobs, the 2022 NFL rushing leader, early Monday afternoon during the opening day of the league’s free-agent negotiating window. The 26-year-old Jacobs, who's rushed for 5,545 yards and 46 touchdowns in his five-season pro career, had 89 total yards and a rushing touchdown as the Las Vegas Raiders beat the Packers 17-13 on Oct. 9, 2023, in Las Vegas.Â
XAVIER McKINNEY — S
Green Bay reached a four-year, $68 million agreement with ex-New York Giants safety Xavier McKinney, his agent announced Monday. The 24-year-old McKinney started all 17 games for the Giants last season in his fourth year in the league and finished the 2023 campaign with 116 tackles, three interceptions, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
FREE-AGENT DEPARTURES
DAVID BAKHTIARI — LT
Green Bay announced the release of offensive tackle David Bakhtiari on Monday in a move that didn't come as a surprise, despite his impressive 11-year career. The veteran tackle carried a massive $39.99 million salary cap number for 2024, and the oft-injured left knee that marred Bakhtiari's final three seasons with the Packers finally brought an end to his time with the franchise. Bakhtiari, who is set to turn 33 on Sept. 30, does not plan to retire, but as of Monday it was unclear where he's at in his recovery and how he'll be valued on the open market.Â
DE'VONDRE CAMPBELL — LB
Linebacker De'Vondre Campbell will be released by Green Bay when the new league year opens Wednesday, according to multiple media reports. The 30-year-old Campbell has spent the last three seasons with the Packers after signing with the franchise as a free agent during the 2021 offseason. The eight-year veteran has recorded 507 solo tackles, eight forced fumbles and seven interceptions across 115 regular-season games. While the exact financial savings for Green Bay are yet to be know, Campbell still had three years remaining on a five-year, $50 million deal he signed in March 2022 after his first season with the Packers.
AARON JONES — RB
After failing to reach an agreement on a restructured contract that would lower running back Aaron Jones’ scheduled $17.6 million salary-cap number for 2024, the Packers released the seven-year veteran Monday. Jones, who turns 30 in December, finished this past regular season with 656 yards and two touchdowns on 142 carries before rushing 39 times for 226 yards and three scores in the playoffs. The 2017 fifth-round draft pick from UTEP — who leaves Green Bay as the franchise’s third-leading rusher with 5,940 career yards — was preparing to sign a deal with the NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings less than 24 hours after being released by the Packers, according to multiple reports Tuesday morning.
JON RUNYAN — OL
Offensive lineman Jon Runyan, who began his career as a rookie reserve in Green Bay before starting 50 of 51 regular-season games for the Packers over the past three seasons (the first two years at left guard before switching to right guard last season), reportedly reached an agreement on a three-year deal with the New York Giants on Monday. After spending most of the second half of last season in a job-sharing arrangement with fellow guard Sean Rhyan, the 26-year-old Runyan tried to fight back tears in January as players cleared out their lockers, describing his time with Green Bay as "awesome" while he faced an uncertain future with the franchise that selected him in the sixth round of the 2020 draft.Â
RE-SIGNED FREE AGENTS
COREY BALLENTINE — CB
Cornerback Corey Ballentine reached a deal to re-sign with the Packers, the franchise announced Tuesday afternoon. Ballentine, who turns 28 on April 13, played in a career-high 14 games last season, including six starts, while recording a career-best 27 solo tackles, seven passes defended and his first NFL interception. The Jamaica native, a sixth-round selection by the New York Giants in the 2019 draft out of Washburn University in Kansas, also has seen action with the New York Jets and Detroit Lions during his five-year pro career.Â
TYLER DAVIS — TE
Tight end Tyler Davis reached a deal to stay in Green Bay after the key special teams player and up-and-coming offensive weapon missed all of the 2023 season with a knee injury. Davis, who turns 27 on April 2, was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft and spent one season with the franchise before signing with the Packers in September 2021. Davis has caught eight passes for 61 yards while being targeted 12 times in 31 regular-season games with Green Bay.
KEISEAN NIXON — CB
Cornerback Keisean Nixon reached an agreement to stay with the Packers on a three-year deal worth $18 million, according to an NFL Network report Tuesday. In addition to his duties as a nickel cornerback, the 26-year-old Nixon is a two-time first-team All-Pro kick returner. Since joining Green Bay as a free agent before the 2022 season, Nixon emerged as one of the team's defensive leaders last season while also thriving on special teams and leading the NFL in kick return average with 26.1 yards per return.Â
JONATHAN OWENS — S
Safety Jonathan Owens saw his time with the Packers come to an end Wednesday after one season in Green Bay as the 28-year-old agreed to a deal with the NFC North rival Chicago Bears. Owens, who's married to Olympic gold medal gymnast Simone Biles, started 11 of 17 regular-season contests for the Packers, recording 84 total tackles and returning a fumble 27 yards for a touchdown in the opening quarter of the Packers' 29-22 win over the Detroit Lions, while also finishing with a team-best 12 tackles in the Thanksgiving Day upset.Â
DARNELL SAVAGE — S
Safety Darnell Savage agreed to a free-agent deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Wednesday, ending his five-year run with the Green Bay Packers. The 26-year-old Savage, who was selected by Green Bay with the 21st overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, tallied nine interceptions, 302 total tackles and nine tackles for loss across 72 regular-season games with the Packers. One of the biggest plays of Savage's career came during the playoffs in January, when he picked off Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and returned the interception 64 yards for a touchdown during the first half of Green Bay's 48-32 wild card victory in Dallas.Â
AJ DILLON — RB
Running back AJ Dillon re-signed with the Packers, the team announced on Friday. Dillon, who's set to turn 26 on May 2, has spent all four seasons of his NFL career in Green Bay after the team selected him in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He appeared in 15 games for the Packers last season, making six starts, while rushing 178 times for a total of 613 yards and two touchdowns and catching 22 passes for 223 additional yards. NFL Network reported that Dillon is returning on a four-year qualifying offer, which allows the team to pay the player up to $1.45 million over the minimum salary for that player — but only be charged the minimum salary against the cap.
YOSH NIJMAN — OL
Offensive lineman Yosh Nijman saw his four-year run with the Green Bay Packers come to an end after reaching a free agent deal with the Carolina Panthers, the franchises confirmed on March 18. The 28-year-old Nijman made 67 consecutive appearances, including 22 starts, since signing with Green Bay as an undrafted free agent in 2019. The 6-foot-7, 314-pound lineman spent his rookie season on Green Bay's practice squad before earning a spot on the roster during training camp in 2020.Â
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