Green Bay Packers News

NFC NORTH
Kristian Welch  • LB  •  Packers

Kristian Welch Signs With Green Bay

The Green Bay Packers have signed linebacker Kristian Welch to an undisclosed contract. Welch spent 2023 with the Pack but was a member of the Baltimore Ravens for each of his other four seasons in the league. Signing with Baltimore as an undrafted free agent in 2020, Welch played in 43 games over three seasons. He never notched more than four tackles but also contributed on special teams. The Iowa product registered eight tackles in 2024, appearing in 15 games for Green Bay, including both postseason starts for the team. The 26-year-old will have a chance to compete for playing time during camp but figures to be more of a depth piece on defense and an asset on special teams.
15 hours ago   
Mecole Hardman  • WR  •  Packers

Mecole Hardman Signing With Packers

Free-agent wide receiver/return specialist Mecole Hardman (knee) is signing an undisclosed one-year deal with the Green Bay Packers on Tuesday, a source tells ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Hardman will take his speed to the Packers while contributing both on offense and special teams as a kick returner. The 27-year-old former second-rounder (56th overall) by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019 out of the University of Georgia caught only 12 of 14 targets for 90 yards and no touchdowns while carrying the ball five times for 62 yards and a touchdown in 12 regular-season games before suffering a knee injury in December that landed him on Injured Reserve. The Packers could use the receiver depth with Christian Watson (knee) likely to miss around half of the 2025 season, but Hardman could struggle for consistent involvement in Green Bay's offense, much like he did in KC, behind Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs.
Mar 19   
AJ Dillon  • RB  •  Packers

AJ Dillon Fully Cleared By Doctors

Green Bay Packers free-agent running back AJ Dillon (neck) has been fully cleared by multiple doctors and is ready to return to the field in 2025, sources tell FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz. Dillon didn't play at all in 2024 due to a stinger, but he's still only 26 years old and has 2,428 career rushing yards and 18 total touchdowns in his four seasons with the Packers. He proved that he's not really a lead back when he got the opportunity in Green Bay, but Dillon should still attract plenty of interest on the open market as a big, physical runner if he's indeed past his neck injury. Because he'll likely be sharing plenty of backfield touches wherever he lands in free agency, his fantasy value will remain limited. In his last season in 2023, Dillon had a career-low 3.4 yards per carry on 178 rushing attempts for 613 yards and two rushing touchdowns in 15 games (six starts).
Mar 11   
Nate Hobbs  • CB  •  Packers

Packers Sign Nate Hobbs To Four-Year Contract

The Green Bay Packers signed former Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs to a four-year, $48 million deal on Monday that includes $16 million guaranteed, a source told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Hobbs will head to the NFC North after spending the first four years of his career with the Raiders after they made him a fifth-round selection (167th overall) in 2021 out of Illinois. Hobbs played in only 11 games (seven starts) for Vegas in his final year with the team in 2024 and recorded a career-low 49 tackles (33 solo), an interception and five pass breakups. He established himself as a solid slot cornerback in his first three years with the Raiders, though, and has 281 total tackles (200 solo), three sacks, 14 tackles for loss, eight QB hits, three interceptions, 19 pass breakups, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in his four seasons. Hobbs will essentially be replacing Jaire Alexander in 2025.
Mar 11   
Aaron Banks  • G  •  Packers

Packers, Aaron Banks Agree To $77 Million Contract

The Green Bay Packers have agreed to terms with former San Francisco 49ers guard Aaron Banks on a four-year, $77 million contract, according to NFL insider Ari Meirov. The 2021 second-round pick out of Notre Dame played in 53 games (43 starts) over his four-year NFL career and will provide an instant upgrade along the Green Bay offensive line. Banks will become a top-five offensive guard in average salary when he signs his deal after the new league year begins on March 12. This is a great development for quarterback Jordan Love and running back Josh Jacobs.
Mar 10   
Brandon McManus  • K  •  Packers

Packers Re-Sign Brandon McManus To Three-Year Deal

The Green Bay Packers agreed to re-sign kicker Brandon McManus on Tuesday to a three-year, $15.3 million deal, including a $5 million signing bonus, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The deal was negotiated by Drew and Jason Rosenhaus. McManus joined the Packers midway through the 2024 and helped stabilize a position that had been a headache for the team ever since Mason Crosby left. The 33-year-old veteran made 20 of his 21 field-goal attempts, including all three from 50-plus yards out, and all 30 of his extra-point tries in 11 regular-season games. In the wild-card game loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, he made one of his two field goals and his only point-after attempt. Given the upside of Green Bay's offense with quarterback Jordan Love, McManus should enter the 2025 season as a fringe top-12 fantasy option, at worst.
Mar 5   
Isaiah McDuffie  • LB  •  Packers

Packers Re-Sign Isaiah McDuffie To Two-Year Deal

The Green Bay Packers re-signed linebacker Isaiah McDuffie to a two-year, $8 million deal on Monday, sources tell ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. With incentives, McDuffie will have the upside to earn a total of $9.5 million. He will return to Green Bay after recording a career-high 97 tackles (46 solo), half a sack, three tackles for loss, three QB hits, three pass breakups and a forced fumble in 17 regular-season starts in his fourth year in the NFL with the Packers. The 25-year-old former sixth-round selection in 2021 out of Boston College is expected to serve as the team's top backup inside linebacker again in 2025 behind Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper. He has a total of 228 tackles (129 solo), one sack, eight tackles for loss, six QB hits, four pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 63 games (26 starts) in his four years in Green Bay.
Mar 4   
Jaire Alexander  • CB  •  Packers

Packers Open To Trading Jaire Alexander

The Green Bay Packers have had trade conversations involving Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander and are willing to trade him this offseason, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. The 2018 first-round pick out of Louisville has spent his entire professional career with Green Bay, racking up 287 tackles (240 solo), 12 interceptions, 70 passes defended, three forced fumbles, and 1.5 sacks in 78 career games. However, Alexander has played in just 14 of 34 possible regular-season games over the last two seasons. The 28-year-old could be headed toward a steep decline in play, so he should not be too expensive to trade for. Still, a contending team with a significant need at cornerback could be interested in taking the flyer on the two-time All-Pro selection.
Feb 26   
Zach Tom  • OL  •  Packers

Zach Tom Likely To Stay At Right Tackle In 2025

Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said that offensive lineman Zach Tom will probably stay at right tackle in 2025, even though the team has a potential need at center with Josh Myers set to be an unrestricted free agent in March. The Packers liked Tom more as a center when he entered the draft in 2022 out of Wake Forest, but he received the third-most All-Pro votes at right tackle in 2024 behind only the Eagles' Lane Johnson and Lions' Penei Sewell. "I feel good about our offensive line," Gutekunst said. "We'll always continue to address it because it's such an important part of what we do. But I like the versatility of our guys. We've got a lot of guys that can play four spots, a couple guys who can probably play all five." Tom bounced back nicely from a torn pectoral he suffered early last offseason.
Feb 26   
Quay Walker  • LB  •  Packers

Packers Could Reach Extension With Quay Walker

The Athletic's Matt Schneidman says not to be surprised if the Green Bay Packers reach a contract extension with linebacker Quay Walker this offseason. The deadline to exercise fifth-year options is coming soon, and picking up Walker's fifth-year option would result in a guaranteed salary of around $16.5 million in 2026, according to Over The Cap. It sounds like general manager Brian Gutekunst doesn't want to make Walker the fourth-highest paid off-the-ball linebacker, although it doesn't mean the team doesn't want Walker to stick around into the future. "But yeah, we'd like to find a way to keep Quay around here long-term, whether that be an extension or something," Gutekunst said. Despite playing in only 13 regular-season games in 2024 due to an ankle injury, the former first-rounder finished with 102 combined tackles for the third straight year to begin his NFL career.
Feb 26   
Jayden Reed  • WR  •  Packers

Jayden Reed Suffered Torn Labrum In His Shoulder

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (shoulder) said on locker cleanout day at the end of last season that he tore his labrum in the wild-card playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. General manager Brian Gutekunst said Reed could be limited during the offseason but should be fine for the start of training camp at the end of July. It was initially reported that the 24-year-old suffered a dislocated shoulder, but the good news is that he didn't require offseason surgery. In his second year in the NFL in 2024, Reed looked primed for his first 1,000-yard campaign early on, but he limped to the finish line and ended up with 55 catches on 75 targets for 857 yards and six touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (10 starts). He also added 20 carries for 163 yards and another score. He's settled in as a boom/bust WR3/flex in fantasy, but he could have more upside with Christian Watson (knee) set to miss at least half of 2025.
Feb 26   
Romeo Doubs  • WR  •  Packers

No Long-Term Concerns For Romeo Doubs

Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said that he doesn't think wide receiver Romeo Doubs (concussion) has any long-term concern with his head health despite the fact that he suffered multiple concussions in the second half of the 2024 season, including in the wild-card loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. "Any time a guy has a couple concussions back-to-back, there's some concern there, not necessarily his long-term liability or anything, just for him," Gutekunst said. "I would expect him to bounce back and be at his best." The 24-year-old took a step back in 2024 in his third year in the NFL, but it didn't help that he played in only 13 regular-season games (12 starts). After going for 674 receiving yards and eight TDs in 2023, Doubs finished with a 46-601-4 line. With Christian Watson (knee) expected to miss at least half the 2025 season, Doubs should be in line for an expanded role if he's healthy.
Feb 26   
Christian Watson  • WR  •  Packers

Christian Watson Expected To Be Back Around Midseason In 2025

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (knee) had his ACL surgery and is expected to be back around the midway point of the 2025 season, according to The Athletic's Matt Schneidman. "Doing well. He's got a lot in front of him, but I expect him to attack it like he does everything else everything so far's been really good. He's been through this before, so he knows what to expect. It's a big injury. It may take some time, but he's got the right mindset, positive attitude toward it," general manager Brian Gutekunst said. The 25-year-old wideout tore his ACL in Week 18 against the Bears and finished his third year in the NFL with 29 catches (53 targets) for a career-high 620 receiving yards and a career-low two touchdowns in 15 starts. Known as a slow healer, it wouldn't be a surprise if Watson's recovery lingers into the second half. In standard 12-team leagues this fall, Watson will most likely go undrafted.
Feb 26   
Brandon McManus  • K  •  Packers

Packers Likely To Re-Sign Brandon McManus

ESPN's Rob Demovsky puts Green Bay Packers impending free-agent kicker Brandon McManus in the must-sign group for the team this offseason. McManus' arrival in October turned around the team's dreadful kicking game after Anders Carlson and Brayden Narveson missed 18 field goals and extra points in 25 games, including the playoffs, in 2023 and early 2024. McManus, meanwhile, made 50 of 51 field goals and extra points in 11 regular-season games last year. He doesn't look like he's lost much at age 33 and was on the veteran's minimum last year because he was coming off an investigation by the league for the personal-conduct policy. "If we were able to get Brandon back, I think certainly that would make me feel very, very, very good about that [specialist] group," general manager Brian Gutekunst said. If McManus returns, he could be a nice fantasy streamer.
Feb 18   
Jaire Alexander  • CB  •  Packers

Packers Expected To Release Jaire Alexander

ESPN's Rob Demovsky writes that there are strong indications that cornerback Jaire Alexander's (knee) time with the Green Bay Packers will come to an end this offseason, as multiple team sources have expressed their frustrations with his inability to stay healthy and/or play through injuries. Alexander didn't play after Nov. 17 in 2024 and went on Injured Reserve in the final week of the regular season before undergoing knee surgery for a torn PCL. He has appeared in seven of 17 regular-season games in two straight years. Alexander somehow still managed to finish second on the team in pass breakups (seven) and was tied for second with two interceptions. He has two years left on his four-year, $84 million extension, but Green Bay could pick up almost $6.8 million in salary cap space in 2025 if they release him and more than $17 million if he's a post-June 1 cut.
Feb 18   
Josh Jacobs  • RB  •  Packers

Josh Jacobs Calling For True WR1 In Green Bay

Per Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com, Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs told 97.3 The Game that he thinks his team should invest in a true standout WR1 moving forward. "We've got a really young group of receivers. All can be really, really, really special," said Jacobs. "But I think personally we need a guy...that we know is going to be a little bit more consistent." Green Bay enjoyed much success this season -- finishing 11-6 -- but could not gain any traction in the playoffs. Despite the Packers bolstering four wideouts aged 25 or younger that eclipsed 400 receiving yards in 2024, none of them reached the 1,000-yard mark. However, Green Bay did rank eighth in the league with 26.1 points per game and lost their best deep threat (WR Christian Watson) to a late-season ACL injury. We'll see if the Pack move to secure a new alpha with a few big-name free-agent wideouts available in 2025, such as Tee Higgins, Cooper Kupp, and Amari Cooper.
Feb 6   
Tucker Kraft  • TE  •  Packers

Tucker Kraft Could Have Bigger Role In 2025

Based on Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur's comments at the end of the regular season, tight end Tucker Kraft and the rest of the team's TEs could see more involvement on offense in 2025. "I think that's on us to make sure we find him and feature him because when he gets the ball in his hands, you feel him," LaFleur said. "So if there's an area that we gotta do a better job on, I would say featuring the tight end." Musgrave only played in seven games due to injury, while Ben Sims and John FitzPatrick aren't traditional pass-catching TEs. Kraft, 24, broke out in his second season with 50 catches on 70 targets for 707 yards and seven touchdowns. Even if Musgrave is a bigger part of the passing offense in 2025, Kraft could have an even bigger role as Green Bay looks to replace targets lost to receiver Christian Watson's (knee) torn ACL.
Jan 28   
Christian Watson  • WR  •  Packers

Christian Watson Unlikely To Be Ready For Start Of 2025 Campaign

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (knee) is not expected to be ready for the start of the 2025 season after suffering a torn ACL in the Week 18 loss to the Chicago Bears. The 25-year-old has been plagued by the injury bug through the first three seasons of his NFL career, missing 13 regular-season games since being selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. His potential delayed start to next season comes as no surprise given the timing of the major injury, and the Packers could look to bring in more wide receiver options via free agency or the 2025 NFL Draft. It won't be a surprise if Watson starts next season on the PUP list, meaning he'd be forced to sit out at least the first four games.
Jan 21   
Jaire Alexander  • CB  •  Packers

Packers Claim No Disconnect With Jaire Alexander

Green Bay Packers defensive back Jaire Alexander (knee) rocked the boat a bit after he declined to talk with the media because he had nothing good to say after the team lost to the Philadelphia Eagles on wild-card weekend. Afterwards, there were rumors that Alexander and the Packers might split this offseason. The organization would save nearly $7 million by releasing Alexander. That doesn't seem like an impossible outcome given Alexander only played seven games this year and ended the season on Injured Reserve. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst downplayed the situation and said there is no disconnect between Alexander and the organization. For now, Alexander remains with the Packers, but he could cut later if the organization wants to save money down the road.
Jan 17   
Brandon McManus  • K  •  Packers

Packers Hoping To Have Brandon McManus Back For 2025 Season

Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said the team wants to bring kicker Brandon McManus back for the 2025 NFL season. The 33-year-old signed with Green Bay on October 16 and played in 11 games for the Packers. He connected on 20 of his 21 field goal attempts and all 30 of his extra-point tries during the regular season. The Super Bowl 50 champion with the Denver Broncos has hit on over 82% of his career field goal attempts and arguably had the best season of his career in 2024. McManus averaged 9.0 fantasy points per game this season, so he'll be on the fantasy radar next season if he re-signs with the Packers.
Jan 16   
LEGEND