Packers' Top Players to Avoid in 2022 NFL Free Agency

The Green Bay Packers have communicated they are willing to go all-in on the 2022 offseason but that doesn't come without its pitfalls. 

As the franchise awaits an official decision from Aaron Rodgers on his future, it is reportedly prepared to do whatever it takes to keep him.  

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Green Bay is prepared to spend "as close to the cap" this year as possible to entice the 38-year-old to stay. After all the uncertainty surrounding the quarterback last offseason, it's evident the front office doesn't want that to happen again. 

That mentality could pay off in a big way. We just watched the Los Angeles Rams make a ton of "all-in" moves, and they wound up with a Lombardi Trophy to show for it. 

However, the Saints will need to be careful who they spend their free-agency dollars on. They are still $48.5 million over the cap, per Spotrac, and will have to get creative to even produce a free-agent budget. 

Here are three names they should perhaps avoid in free agency this offseason.

There's no debate that the talent of Antonio Brown is tantalizing. After all, he has had chance after chance in the NFL despite every situation he's been in ending on poor terms. 

Most recently, the wide receiver and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wound up in a nasty divorce. He was suspended for three games for using a fake COVID-19 vaccine card and then only played twice after his return before abruptly leaving a game and getting released. 

Since then, the 33-year-old and his attorney have threatened legal action against the Buccaneers for the way things went down with his release. 

Regardless of what happened with that situation, Brown's talents no longer outweigh the risk of bringing him in for a team like Green Bay. He can still produce when he's healthy, but it's worth noting his ankle injury was a source of tension with the Bucs and he only played in seven games this year due to various ailments. 

The four-time All-Pro would be too risky to bring into the locker room at this point, and his injury history could mean he misses valuable stretches of time. 

The only Packers receivers who are under contract for 2022 right now are Amari Rodgers, Randall Cobb and Juwann Winfree. That makes it a position that will have to be addressed in the offseason. 

Davante Adams is priority No. 1, but the Packers then could be in the market for veteran wide receivers who are looking to be put in positions to win the Super Bowl. 

Odell Beckham Jr. could be in that camp. He just won a ring with the Los Angeles Rams but they fear he suffered a torn ACL in the game after posting two catches for 52 yards and a touchdown, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. 

It might be tempting for Green Bay to do what the Rams did: Scoop up the 29-year-old when his value is low and hope he can become an integral part of their passing game. 

It worked out in Los Angeles. Days after that signing, Robert Woods suffered a season-ending injury and Beckham ultimately became a useful red-zone target. 

However, Beckham's injury leaves doubt about when he'll be ready to play again, and this isn't the first time he's suffered a serious injury. He tore his ACL in 2020 with the Cleveland Browns and missed part of the 2021 season with a shoulder issue. 

The LSU product can still make some plays when healthy, but there's too much risk that won't be the case in 2022 to sign him. 

The most important free-agent decisions the Packers are going to face are over the players actually on their roster. The team might be willing to spend but that's mostly going to take place in the form of retaining the talent it has. 

One player they shouldn't bring back, though, is Chandon Sullivan. 

The 25-year-old made some plays this season. He had three interceptions and four passes defended this season, but he also gave up 560 yards and four touchdowns on 67 targets for the year. 

With Jaire Alexander returning from injury and Eric Stokes heading into his second season, the need for Sullivan is mitigated significantly. 

The focus should be finding a way to get Rasul Douglas back. He was a huge find for the defense on his one-year "prove it" deal. He was instrumental in getting by when Alexander went down for the season, he held opposing passers to two touchdowns and 351 yards on 64 targets and racked up five interceptions. 

Sullivan isn't terrible by any means, but the Packers should be willing to let him get money elsewhere.