2015 Free Agency: Potential Bargains

As we all know, Ted Thompson doesn't do much in free agency. Last season, he made two notable signings (Julius Peppers and Letroy Guion), both of whom made a major impact for the 2014 team. Don't expect Ted to go hog wild this time around, however. There's a system in the NFL that if you lose more than you gain in free agency, the NFL bestows compensatory draft picks upon you. Ted Thompson guards his draft picks more jealously than a leprechaun his pot of gold, so you can bet we won't be seeing any major, splashy moves in free agency. Even last year when he brought in Peppers and Guion, both players had been released by their respective teams, so they didn't count towards compensatory draft pick considerations.

No, as usual, I expect the Packers to be church mice in the opening weeks of free agency (which, I might add, is closer than you think! March 10th is about two weeks away!), but the Packers usually find one or two lesser known players to fill holes on the Packers roster. Here's a few that might be good fits, assuming they actually reach unrestricted free agency.

Casey Matthews ILB - Yes, Clay's little brother might be a good pickup for Green Bay. Casey Matthews has not been all that noticeable yet in his young career, and it's likely that the Eagles decide to keep him, but just imagine the fun we'd have wreaking havoc with the Matthews brothers! Or imagine this: Dom Capers decides to invent a package in which both Clay and Casey are lined up at inside linebacker. Now, isn't that fun? In all seriousness, it probably won't happen, but it's still fun to dream.

Josh Cribbs KR - For years, Cribbs was one of the elite return specialists in the NFL. He has undoubtedly lost a step, but can still be a dangerous return man. Micah Hyde is pretty good returning punts, but it might be nice to have someone experienced back there returning the kickoffs. DuJuan Harris was a failed experiment there last season, so I think it's time to try something different.

Tom Johnson DT - The Minnesota Viking had 6.5 sacks last season, with only 2 games started. He will be turning 31 this season, but he seems like the kind of patch the Packers like to make. If the Vikings don't bring him back, expect Ted Thompson to come sniffing around.

Virgil Green TE - The Broncos might be facing losing Julius Thomas, which could lead to them bringing back Green. But if he hits free agency, the Packers might kick the tires. Green was one of the most athletic tight ends in the 2011 draft, but he has been buried on the Broncos depth chart thus far in his career. Sounds like the kind of guy TT might like to take a chance on.

Sam Acho OLB - Acho has been solid depth for the Cardinals these past few seasons, and he is still young (26). He could come in and provide some competition for the backup OLB position for the Green and Gold.

Rob Housler TE- Another former Cardinal. If Housler becomes a free agent, the big, sure handed tight end could see some playing time and not a small number of passes coming his way.