3 free agents Packers could still sign in training camp
Packers free agent to still sign No. 2: Matt Ioannidis, IDL
For what the Packers should be looking for on the defensive line, a guy like Matt Ioannidis, who spent several years in Washington and was with the Panthers last season, is absolutely perfect in terms of fit and price.
By all accounts, Green Bay feels pretty confident in the starters up front on the defensive line with Devonte Wyatt, Kenny Clark and T.J. Slaton. The guys behind them are, however, where the questions start to arise.
The primary three backups on the defensive front are 2022 seventh-round pick Jonathan Ford and a pair of Day 3 rookies from this year’s draft class in Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks. Particularly with the newcomers, there are a lot of things to like about their potential. But if they’re asked to contribute meaningfully right away, that could be a bit of an issue.
Ioannidis, meanwhile, has been a solid player in the middle of the defensive line wherever he’s been. At no point has he ever been a superstar, to be sure, but a guy who can hold his own in both the pass rush and the run game is extremely valuable to have as a rotational piece. And it’s frankly a piece that the Packers don’t have right now.
Given that he’s not truly a household name, Ioannidis could come to Green Bay cheap if they’re interested. And with the state of the depth chart right now, they should very much be interested in adding him to the mix in training camp and the preseason.