The Packers lost four players to free agency over three days. Was Brian Gutekunst right in not bringing them back?
The Green Bay Packers have been relatively busy over the first three days of the 2025 NFL Free Agency. Many changes have been made on the Packers depth chart in many positions, including ones the Packers should look to revamp and add depth to. Let’s grade the departures of these four Packers free agents and evaluate whether Green Bay made good riddance on each player or should have hung onto them for a little longer.
RB AJ Dillon to Eagles
It has been a long time since AJ Dillon has seen the football field and the Packers felt it was time to part ways with the former Boston College back, who has seemed to regress each year. Injuries have unfortunately kept the power rusher on the sideline for the entirety of the 2024 NFL season, making it difficult for the Packers to stick with the original plans they had lined up for him role-wise.
The Packers thrived in the run game this year without Dillon and it seems like Dillon will be of more value to a team that truly needs the kinds of strength he provides in the run game. The Packers have decent depth at the position with Chris Brooks and Emanuel Wilson subbing in for Josh Jacobs every now and then. This is a good move by Brian Gutekunst to not try and match the Eagles’ offer.
Grade: A-
CB Eric Stokes to Raiders
Throughout Stokes’ four-year career with the Packers, it has been a lot of ups and downs. After going toe to toe with All-Pro CB Patrick Surtain II in passes defended in his rookie season, Stokes hit a wall after injuring his foot in his second season with the team. Ever since the defensive back has seen the bench more than he is accustomed to and has struggled in pass coverage.
It seemed evident that the departure of Stokes was coming with the signing of Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs to a four-year deal. This is a massive upgrade at the position as Hobbs is one of the more young and proven defenders in the league. It would have been even tougher for Stokes to see snaps, so it makes sense the Packers did not pursue a re-signing in free agency.
Grade: A-
C Josh Myers to Jets
Myers would have been easy to bring back to the team, as the New York Jets only gave the center a one-year, 3.5 million dollar deal. However, Myers was the clear weak point of the Packers’ offensive line despite allowing just one sack in 2024. Myers’s pass blocking was decent with Green Bay, but that does not make up for his inability to run block, as he was ranked 54th out of 64 centers in 2024 in that category.
Moving guard Elgton Jenkins over to the center position, which he has played very well when put there, will not be an issue with first-round pick Jordan Morgan coming back from injury and Aaron Banks coming over from San Francisco. Depth is the only concern around the Packers’ offensive line, but they are sure to address that issue in the draft.
Grade: B+
DT T.J. Slaton to Bengals
Slaton has proven to be a solid piece for the Packers’ interior defensive line and has done well in a variety of schemes the packers have put forth over the years. However, the Packers felt that the offer the Bengals gave the 331-pound lineman was not worth it in terms of matching the deal in free agency.
Losing Slaton is a hit to the pressure the Packers can bring in both the run game and pass game and Green Bay is now in an even deeper hole in terms of finding players that will fill his role. Clark may need to move back to nose tackle if the Packers can not address that in the draft, but it is unlikely they will do so. Bringing back Slaton may have been in Gutekunst’s best interest.
Grade: C-
Main Photo: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Max Combs
Max Combs is a sports writer for Last Word on Sports and specializes in written content, news, and updates for the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Max is also a student attending the University of California, Santa Barbara studying communications and sociology, assists in UCSB's intercollegiate athletics department as a sports information director, and creates written stories for KCSB Sports on local sporting events.