5 NFL teams that need to sign Justin Houston

3. Green Bay Packers

Clay Matthews has not been the prolific pass rusher he was over the last few seasons, but he”ll still be a noteworthy loss for the Packers as he hits free agency. They are also in line to part with Nick Perry, so if nothing else they’ll need some more bodies to get after the passer.

Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst has pointed to being active in free agency again this offseason, as he goes against the template set by his predecessor Ted Thompson. They are in the middle of the pack with just over $34 million in cap space right now, and making Perry a pre-June 1 cut would bring more dead money than cap space. Big financial splashes aren’t happening, but the Packers can and presumably will add a notable piece or two.

Mike Smith was the outside linebackers coach and worked with Houston in Kansas City last year, and he is now in the same job for the Packers. That may matter to Houston on some level, and there’s presumably a coach in Green Bay’s building who will be an advocate for signing him.

As Aaron Rodgers gets near the end of his career, the Packers have not maximized having one of the most purely talented quarterbacks in league history. Houston is a nice fit, as a veteran player who fills a need and wants a chance to win a Super Bowl before his own career is over.