Rounded free agents are players who were in contract seasons in 2023 but had only played in the league for three seasons as opposed to the four that rookie contracts normally entail. The NFL teams had until today to place tenders on these players. Only seven players in the entire league were awarded tenders this year, and none of them were players for the Green Bay Packers.
Just two Packers players were eligible to be restricted free agents this offseason: running back Patrick Taylor and cornerback Robert Rochell. Theoretically, the team selected both players while they were in-season in 2023 from the practice squad.
When Green Bay selected Rochell in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, he was already a member of the Carolina Panthers practice squad. Taylor had a brief stint on the New England Patriots practice squad before being added to the 53-man roster of the Packers. Taylor had previously played three seasons with Green Bay.
Rochell played 112 special teams snaps for the Packers over the course of nine games last year, but despite the team’s overall cornerback unit being injured, he was unable to record a single defensive snap. In addition to playing 109 special team snaps, Taylor contributed 226 offensive snaps, the majority of which were on passing downs as a pass blocker.
There were three ways for Green Bay to tag their restricted free agents: a right of first refusal tender, a second-round tender, and a first-round tender. The corresponding costs would have been $6.82 million, $4.89 million, and $2.99 million.
In the event that another team tried to sign one of the Packers’ restricted free agents away on an offer sheet, the first- and second-round tenders would have awarded the Packers those matching draft picks (via the poaching team). With the option to match any offer sheet a poaching team made to a restricted free agent, the Packers would have had the right of first refusal; if they had opted to let the player sign with another team, Green Bay would not have received any money. This became important when the Packers selected tackle Yosh Nijman in the second round of the previous draft.
Taylor and Rochell might come back to Green Bay later on, but not for a nearly $3 million salary for the 2024 campaign.
The NFL has not yet made public the tenders of players with fewer than three NFL seasons to their credit or free agents with exclusive rights to the league. Running back Emanuel Wilson, offensive tackle Caleb Jones, and punter Daniel Whelan are the three players the Packers will have in 2024. Unlike restricted free agents, exclusive rights free agents are not subject to an outside offer sheet and must sign a contract for slightly less than $1 million. This, along with the fact that they do not contain any promises, usually leads to these agreements being accepted.
The following is a list of restricted free agents that were tendered in 2024:
Packers tight end Brock Wright (right of primary refusal)
Jon Rhattigan of the Seahawks (right of primary refusal)
Michael Hoecht of the Rams (right to a primary refusal)
First-refusal privilege of Seahawks DB Michael Jackson
Giants Defense Nick McCloud, the right to a first refusal
Second-round pick Jauan Jennings, a wide receiver for the 49ers
The Rams’ offensive lineup Alaric Jackson, willing to play in the second round
