The Green Bay Packers have seen more quality talent go out the door than it’s added through the start of NFL free agency.
Their big signing, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, wasn’t universally beloved.
At The Athletic, the Packers got a D for giving Hargrave a two-year, $23 million contract after one so-so season with the Vikings.
“This is a lot of money for a 33-year-old defensive lineman who is better served in a rotational role at this stage of his career,” Daniel Popper wrote. “Hargrave is not the force he once was, like in 2022 when he had 11 sacks for the Eagles. …
“The Packers had a hole on the interior of their defensive line after dealing Kenny Clark in the Micah Parsons trade in August. This feels like a need spurring an aggressive deal as the market dried up.”
The Athletic as of Thursday afternoon had graded 97 signings. Only one received a worse grade.
ESPN: Packers Pay ‘Defensive Tackle Tax’ on Javon Hargrave
The Packers signed Hargrave in hopes of him turning back the clock to his dominant seasons alongside Jonathan Gannon in Philadelphia. According to ESPN.com’s Seth Walder, who gave the Packers a B-minus, his pass-rush win rate was in the 88th percentile at the position but a run-stop win rate of just 22 percent.
“It feels high for a player of Hargrave's age,” Walder said of Hargrave’s contract, “but there's a defensive tackle tax that teams effectively have to pay this year because of the lack of quality at the position in free agency. Defensive tackle-needy teams have been forced to pay up a little bit, which is the position the Packers were in.”
Walder also tackled the trade of Rashan Gary and the trade for Zaire Franklin. He gave the Packers an A for the Gary trade. Mostly, he picked on the Cowboys. Of Green Bay, he wrote, “For the Packers, this is a boon. They might well have been prepared to cut Gary given his deal, so to find a fourth-round pick from Dallas is superb business. Edge rusher is a need now, but getting a return to not pay Gary what he was owed is a win.”
CBS Gives Packers B-minus
The Packers got a B-minus from CBS’s Zachary Pereles, who liked the trade of defensive end Rashan Gary and the addition of cornerback Benjamin St-Juste.
“The Packers getting anything for Gary – who, before being traded, posted and deleted a goodbye Instagram post and then claimed he was hacked – is a win,” he wrote. “That it was a fourth-round pick makes it a steal. … St-Juste had a remarkable season with the Chargers after a difficult start to his career; his length and physicality could translate well to a Green Bay defense that needs to create more turnovers.”
Individually, Garrett Podell gave the Packers a B-plus for signing Hargrave. He rightly noted that Devonte Wyatt missed the end of last season with a broken fibula and torn ankle ligaments.
“Hargrave's presence will allow Wyatt to not feel like he has to rush his recovery in order to return for Week 1,” he wrote.
Bleacher Report: Some Good, Some Bad
Bleacher Report wasn’t as enamored by the signing of Javon Hargrave – his “best days are in the rearview mirror” – as it was the addition of cornerback Benjamin St-Juste. Coming off “arguably his best season,” that signing got a B.
“The 6-foot-3, 200-pound defender brings a different dynamic to the defensive backs still on Green Bay's roster,” the B/R staff wrote. “His size and physicality can be a major addition as part of Jonathan Gannon's defensive approach.”
The Packers got a C for trading Rashan Gary, which is completely baffling and missed the point.
Pro Football Focus: Average, Average and Average
Pro Football Focus graded most of the big moves. While it bypassed Green Bay’s signing of receiver/returner Skyy Moore, it had individual reports on signing Javon Hargrave and Benjamin St-Juste, trading Rashan Gary and acquiring Zaire Franklin. The additions all received “average” grades.
St-Juste, who at 6-foot-3 will bring a different toolbox to the secondary, received a two-year, $10 million contract. He finished fourth in the NFL in passes defensed for the Commanders in 2023 and was an excellent tackler for the Chargers.
“He has shown a knack for breaking up passes, with 32 pass breakups in five seasons, and is a good fit as a rotational player in Green Bay's defense,” PFF wrote.
Packers On SI Grades
The Packers agreed to a two-year contract with Javon Hargrave yesterday. Here's our story, including some oldie-but-really-goodie quotes from Hargrave about Jonathan Gannon, and our grade of the signing. ⬇️https://t.co/oxfaAPE0my
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) March 12, 2026
Brenton Cox's pass-rush production was sort of crazy in 2024. Here's our grade for his re-signing with the Packers. ⬇️https://t.co/In67PRoa4I
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) March 11, 2026
Skyy Moore perhaps saved his career last season. Now, he'll try to save the Packers' special teams.
Here's more on the receiver/returner and our grade. ⬇️https://t.co/mW9tAN7sXx
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) March 11, 2026
There’s an old saying, “It’s time to fish or cut bait.”
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst swapped the “or” with an “and.”
Here is our grade of the addition of Benjamin St-Juste and release of Nate Hobbs. ⬇️https://t.co/LcnSTu1uwO
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) March 10, 2026
Here's an extended look at the Packers' signing of Sean Rhyan and our grade of the $33 million transaction. ⬇️https://t.co/uyJsCumydS
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) March 8, 2026
From yesterday: A breakdown and our grade of the Packers' big trade that netted linebacker Zaire Franklin. ⬇️https://t.co/ehODtvDoLs
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) March 8, 2026
A fourth-round pick for Rashan Gary?
Grading the Packers' trade of the 2024 Pro Bowler to the Cowboys. ⬇️https://t.co/slo3WcZt6u
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) March 9, 2026
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