{"id":875637,"date":"2019-01-29T07:22:09","date_gmt":"2019-01-29T12:22:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/?p=875637"},"modified":"2019-01-29T12:37:21","modified_gmt":"2019-01-29T17:37:21","slug":"grading-the-packers-2018-offseason-free-agents-and-trades-bkurt11","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/news\/grading-the-packers-2018-offseason-free-agents-and-trades-bkurt11\/","title":{"rendered":"Grading the Packers 2018 Offseason Free Agents and Trades"},"content":{"rendered":"
The Green Bay Packers were active in free agency prior to the 2018 season, signing some big-ticket free agents for the first time in recent memory. New general manger Brian Gutekunst had a new and more aggressive philosophy which most Packers fans appreciated. But how did Gutekunst do in his first season as GM? Here is a look at the free agents and trades Gutekunst made during the offseason and how they look a year later.<\/p>\n
Grades are based on a combination of expectation, performance, impact and value for the money. Keep in mind if these players return in 2019, these grades could change depending on their performance going forward. These current grades are based solely on the players\u2019 performance in 2018.<\/p>\n
Free Agents:<\/strong><\/p>\n
TE Jimmy Graham:<\/strong><\/p>\n
The Packers signed Graham to a three-year deal worth a reported $30 million. The big tight end was the most prominent free-agent signing made by Gutekunst during the offseason. The Packers were hoping Graham would provide Aaron Rodgers with a reliable target in the red zone and stretch defenses down the seam much like Jermichael Finley did during the offense\u2019s heyday under Rodgers from 2009-2013.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, Graham was a pedestrian tight end in his first year in Green Bay. While he finished second on the team with 55 receptions, he averaged just 11.6-yards per catch and scored only two touchdowns all season.<\/p>\n
Graham never seemed to be fully comfortable with his role in the offense and wasn\u2019t a major factor in the red zone all season. The Packers called on Graham to block a lot more than he had been asked to do earlier in his career and while he was willing, blocking was never a strength of his game.<\/p>\n