The Packers front office makes no secret of their plan to be aggressive in free agency. They correctly understand that the time is now to go all-in to surround quarterback Jordan Love with the roster talent required to make Green Bay a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
The key for GM Brian Gutekunst and his staff will be to spend big on the right free agents. The roster has several prominent holes that can be filled with shrewd signings. Finding a true No. 1 edge rusher would finally give Rashan Gary the partner he needs at defensive end. Jaire Alexander's likely departure means the Packers need a new No. 1 cornerback. Finally, Love would enjoy the opportunity to work with a true top-flight receiver on the outside.
Green Bay can't fill all their holes in free agency but landing a Pro Bowler or two would be a major boost to head coach Matt LaFleur's squad. Packers fans should keep a close eye on the following five players who should be prime targets for their favorite team once free agency begins.
1. Josh Sweat
Josh Sweat's pass-rushing acumen was a big reason why the Eagles will enter 2025 as the reigning Super Bowl champions. The Packers would love to steal the talented defensive end away from the Eagles in free agency.
The 27-year-old end racked up eight sacks during the regular season and posted a nice PFF average of 71.5 on his pass-rushing attempts. Perhaps more importantly, Sweat ranked 21st in the NFL with 54 total pressures.
If Green Bay wants to pry Sweat away from Philadelphia they will need to make a strong offer the minute free agency begins. He could be the missing piece for Jeff Hafley's aggressive defense in 2025 if the Packers can win the race to sign him.
2. Rasul Douglas
Signing Rasul Douglas won't solve all of the Packers' issues at cornerback but he can step right in and take Alexander's starting position on the outside. His familiarity with Green Bay from his previous stint with the team would help him get up and running faster than most free agents.
Douglas fits Hafley's system as an aggressive defensive back who wants to make plays on the ball whenever possible. That makes him a terrific potential partner for safety Xavier McKinney. Douglas can't be left alone in single coverage against the speediest wideouts in the league but he can hold up more often than Green Bay's outsider corners did last year.
Douglas will get a healthy deal on the open market but his advanced age will prevent him from breaking the bank. An early offer with solid guaranteed money could help the Packers bring him back into the fold.
3. Drew Dalman
Signing the best center in free agency won't help the Packers win over fans in the offseason, but they should still target Drew Dalman as a priority. The former Falcons starter would give Green Bay a meaningful upgrade over Josh Myers who should be permitted to leave via free agency.
Dalman still needs to work on his pass blocking but he's already one of the most productive run blockers in football. He is a perfect fit for what LaFleur wants to do with his interior run game. His addition to the interior of the Packers' line could help Josh Jacobs be a lot more productive when running between the tackles.
The Packers might prefer to draft a younger, cheaper center to upgrade their offensive line but if they opt to utilize free agency then Dalman is the only credible option to pursue.
4. Asante Samuel Jr.
Asante Samuel Jr. is just the sort of gamble the Packers should be making in free agency. He only managed to play in four games this year due to a shoulder injury, but he projects to be 100 percent by the time training camp rolls around.
Critics of Samuel's game correctly point out that he really struggles to make tackles in open space. He looks like he's allergic to contact at times. It's hard to imagine that he'll improve that skill as he enters his late-20s.
The upside is that Samuel is one of the best pure cover corners in football. When healthy, coordinators can comfortably put him out on an island against elite wideouts. That's something Green Bay's defense has sorely lacked in recent years.
The Packers shouldn't break the bank for Samuel but they can comfortably pay him like an above-average starter. He could be one of the best signings of the offseason if he stays healthy in 2025.
5. Chase Young
Chase Young is not the dominant edge rusher the Packers would prefer to acquire this offseason. He is, however, a quality No. 2 option that could help boost Green Bay's pass rush in a meaningful way.
It's unclear whether or not his draft status will inflate the contract he's looking for on the open market. If so, the Packers would be wise to avoid a bidding war. If, however, his market is cooled since he hasn't lived up to his pre-draft hype, Green Bay should swoop in to secure his services on a bargain deal.
Young would give Green Bay's defensive line balance on the other side of the formation from Gary. Incremental improvement isn't the stuff free agency dreams are made of, but they are the sort of acquisitions that tend to show up big in the postseason.