The National Football League free agent negotiating window opens on Monday and come Wednesday when the new calendar year begins, teams can officially sign players. The Green Bay Packers continue to create salary cap space and according to ESPN, will be releasing veteran linebacker De’Vondre Campbell this week. Campbell joined the Packers in 2021 and made an immediate impact, earning first team All-Pro recognition at linebacker. Injuries became an issue as Campbell missed 10 games over his final two seasons including 7 because of ankle and back issues in 2023, limiting him to just 75 total tackles. The release of Campbell will free up over 10 million dollars in cap space for the Packers who may be looking to bolster their defensive roster once free agency begins. Last month, the Packers decided to void the final year of contracts for two other starters on defense in safety Darnell Savage and nickel back and All Pro kick returner Keisean Nixon.
One free agent is coming back. ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky reports tight end and special teams standout Tyler Davis will return on a one year contract. Davis tore his ACL and was lost for the season in the opening Pre-Season game last year in Cincinnati. Special Teams Coordinator Rich Bisaccia felt Davis would have been the key four-phase player on his units and said at the time it was a devastating blow. Davis apparently is ahead of schedule with his rehabilitation and is expected to be ready by the start of training camp.
Green Bay was awarded three extra draft picks over the weekend as the NFL announced it’s list of compensatory draft picks to be allocated to teams because of free agent departures in 2023. The Packers will get compensatory picks in each of the final three rounds in April. A fifth round pick, number 168 overall was given to Green Bay for wide receiver Allen Lazard who signed with the New York Jets. A 6th round pick (219) after defensive tackle Jarran Reed signed with Seattle and a 7th rounder (255) after defensive lineman Dean Lowry joined the Minnesota Vikings. General Manager Brian Gutekunst will now have 11 picks in the 2024 Draft next month including the 25th overall choice in round one.
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