Packers signing veteran kicker Greg Joseph to compete…

GREEN BAY — The Green Bay Packers turned to a former division rival to help bolster competition at kicker following an inconsistent performance from a rookie this past season.

The Packers signed ex-Vikings kicker Greg Joseph to a one-year deal on Tuesday, according to Joseph’s agent, Brett Tessler.

Joseph, who made 24 of 30 field-goal attempts and 36 of 38 extra-point attempts for the Vikings last season, will compete with incumbent kicker Anders Carlson and former University of Georgia kicker Jack Podlesny, whom the team signed to a futures deal earlier in the offseason.

Carlson made 27 of 33 field-goal attempts and 34 of 39 extra points as a rookie sixth-round pick last season, missing a crucial 41-yard fourth-quarter field-goal attempt in the team’s season-ending NFC divisional playoff loss to San Francisco.

Carlson missed at least one kick in 10 of the Packers’ final 12 games, prompting general manager Brian Gutekunst to vow to bring in competition after the season.

The 29-year-old Joseph spent the past three seasons with Minnesota, connecting on 83 of 101 field-goal attempts in 51 regular-season games for the Vikings. He broke into the league in 2018 with Cleveland, hitting 17 of 20 attempts his rookie season before appearing in two games with the Tennessee Titans in 2019.

Packers free agency tracker: Who’s coming, who’s going and who’s staying in Green Bay

JOSH JACOBS — RB

Green Bay reportedly agreed to terms with running back Josh Jacobs, the 2022 NFL rushing leader, early Monday afternoon during the opening day of the league’s free-agent negotiating window. The 26-year-old Jacobs, who’s rushed for 5,545 yards and 46 touchdowns in his five-season pro career, had 89 total yards and a rushing touchdown as the Las Vegas Raiders beat the Packers 17-13 on Oct. 9, 2023, in Las Vegas.

XAVIER McKINNEY — S

Green Bay reached a four-year, $68 million agreement with ex-New York Giants safety Xavier McKinney, his agent announced Monday. The 24-year-old McKinney started all 17 games for the Giants last season in his fourth year in the league and finished the 2023 campaign with 116 tackles, three interceptions, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.

DAVID BAKHTIARI — LT

Green Bay announced the release of offensive tackle David Bakhtiari on Monday in a move that didn’t come as a surprise, despite his impressive 11-year career. The veteran tackle carried a massive $39.99 million salary cap number for 2024, and the oft-injured left knee that marred Bakhtiari’s final three seasons with the Packers finally brought an end to his time with the franchise. Bakhtiari, who is set to turn 33 on Sept. 30, does not plan to retire, but as of Monday it was unclear where he’s at in his recovery and how he’ll be valued on the open market.

DE’VONDRE CAMPBELL — LB

Linebacker De’Vondre Campbell will be released by Green Bay when the new league year opens Wednesday, according to multiple media reports. The 30-year-old Campbell has spent the last three seasons with the Packers after signing with the franchise as a free agent during the 2021 offseason. The eight-year veteran has recorded 507 solo tackles, eight forced fumbles and seven interceptions across 115 regular-season games. While the exact financial savings for Green Bay are yet to be know, Campbell still had three years remaining on a five-year, $50 million deal he signed in March 2022 after his first season with the Packers.

AARON JONES — RB

After failing to reach an agreement on a restructured contract that would lower running back Aaron Jones’ scheduled $17.6 million salary-cap number for 2024, the Packers released the seven-year veteran Monday.

COREY BALLENTINE — CB

Cornerback Corey Ballentine reached a deal to re-sign with the Packers, the franchise announced Tuesday afternoon. Ballentine, who turns 28 on April 13, played in a career-high 14 games last season, including six starts, while recording a career-best 27 solo tackles, seven passes defended and his first NFL interception. The Jamaica native, a sixth-round selection by the New York Giants in the 2019 draft out of Washburn University in Kansas, also has seen action with the New York Jets and Detroit Lions during his five-year pro career.

TYLER DAVIS — TE

Tight end Tyler Davis reached a deal to stay in Green Bay after the key special teams player and up-and-coming offensive weapon missed all of the 2023 season with a knee injury. Davis, who turns 27 on April 2, was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft and spent one season with the franchise before signing with the Packers in September 2021. Davis has caught eight passes for 61 yards while being targeted 12 times in 31 regular-season games with Green Bay.

KEISEAN NIXON — CB

Cornerback Keisean Nixon reached an agreement to stay with the Packers on a three-year deal worth $18 million, according to an NFL Network report Tuesday.

JONATHAN OWENS — S

Safety Jonathan Owens saw his time with the Packers come to an end Wednesday after one season in Green Bay as the 28-year-old agreed to a deal with the NFC North rival Chicago Bears. Owens, who’s married to Olympic gold medal gymnast Simone Biles, started 11 of 17 regular-season contests for the Packers, recording 84 total tackles and returning a fumble 27 yards for a touchdown in the opening quarter of the Packers’ 29-22 win over the Detroit Lions, while also finishing with a team-best 12 tackles in the Thanksgiving Day upset.

DARNELL SAVAGE — S

Safety Darnell Savage agreed to a free-agent deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Wednesday, ending his five-year run with the Green Bay Packers. The 26-year-old Savage, who was selected by Green Bay with the 21st overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, tallied nine interceptions, 302 total tackles and nine tackles for loss across 72 regular-season games with the Packers. One of the biggest plays of Savage’s career came during the playoffs in January, when he picked off Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and returned the interception 64 yards for a touchdown during the first half of Green Bay’s 48-32 wild card victory in Dallas.

AJ DILLON — RB

Running back AJ Dillon re-signed with the Packers, the team announced on Friday. Dillon, who’s set to turn 26 on May 2, has spent all four seasons of his NFL career in Green Bay after the team selected him in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He appeared in 15 games for the Packers last season, making six starts, while rushing 178 times for a total of 613 yards and two touchdowns and catching 22 passes for 223 additional yards. NFL Network reported that Dillon is returning on a four-year qualifying offer, which allows the team to pay the player up to $1.45 million over the minimum salary for that player — but only be charged the minimum salary against the cap.

YOSH NIJMAN — OL

Offensive lineman Yosh Nijman saw his four-year run with the Green Bay Packers come to an end after reaching a free agent deal with the Carolina Panthers, the franchises confirmed on March 18. The 28-year-old Nijman made 67 consecutive appearances, including 22 starts, since signing with Green Bay as an undrafted free agent in 2019. The 6-foot-7, 314-pound lineman spent his rookie season on Green Bay’s practice squad before earning a spot on the roster during training camp in 2020.

Packers’ 3 best players to target with 2024 NFL Draft first-round pick

After a strong finish to the 2023 season, the Green Bay Packers will look to the upcoming NFL Draft to build on last year’s success.

Jordan Morgan Arizona, Cooper DeJean Iowa, Tyler Guyton Oklahoma

In a season where expectations were tempered, the Green Bay Packers impressed even the most optimistic Wisconsin football fans. The team finished the regular season at 9-8, then knocked off the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs before falling just short to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round.

Jordan Love proved himself to be a franchise quarterback while the young group of pass-catchers showed immeasurable growth over the season. With the offseason underway, it is time to turn to the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. Here are the three best players the Packers should target with their first-round pick.

Cooper DeJean (Cornerback/Safety), Iowa

With needs at safety and cornerback, the Packers could target a player who can wear both those hats. Green Bay finished ninth in passing defense despite starting the inexperienced Keisan Nixon most of the season and trading away Rasul Douglas. Add in the departure of Jonathan Owens and Darnell Savage in free agency plus Rudy Ford still unsigned, and the secondary becomes the primary need for the Packers in the NFL Draft.

Cooper DeJean is the definition of a playmaking defensive back, with NFL scouts projecting him as a hybrid slot corner/safety. In 2022, three of his five interceptions resulted in pick-sixes while this year he returned a punt for a touchdown (and had another controversially called back). DeJean has fantastic instincts, diagnosing plays before they happen and using his elite athleticism to shut them down.

DeJean give sthe Green Bay pass defense a much-needed upgrade following the free-agent signing of safety Xavier McKinney. The Packers spent a first-round pick last year on Iowa edge rusher Lukas Van Ness and Cooper DeJean is a similarly freakish athlete who can make even more of an immediate impact in the Green and Gold.

Jordan Morgan (Offensive Tackle), Arizona

David Bakhtiari is one of the best offensive tackles in the league — that is when he is healthy. But the 32-year-old three-time Pro Bowler was a cap casualty earlier this month as the Packers. With guard Jon Runyan Jr. also leaving in free agency, the Packers now need to find two new starting offensive linemen.

One candidate Green Bay should consider in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft is Arizona offensive tackle Jordan Morgan. Morgan was a three-year starter from the Wildcats, bouncing back from a torn ACL at the end of 2022 to earn First-Team All-Pac-12 honors in 2023. Morgan has great athleticism and fluidity, which he demonstrates both as a run and pass-blocker. He also could slide to guard in the pros. The injury history is a concern, but Jordan Morgan is a player with considerable upside who should be available at pick number 25.

Tyler Guyton (Offensive Tackle), Oklahoma

Another high-level offensive lineman the Green Bay Packers could target, Tyler Guyton is less of a sure thing than other potential first-round tackles but has a high ceiling. Guyton is 6-8 with impressive athleticism for a player of his size, which he uses extremely effectively as a pass blocker. Despite his size, Guyton does not have the physical strength to be a dominant run-blocker, which will be a concern for some NFL teams. He also only earned Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference in 2023 — a bit underwhelming for a potential first-round pick.

Even with these concerns, Guyton’s raw skills and athletic potential make him a worthy investment and a player the Packers should consider in the 2024 NFL Draft.

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PACKERS TRADE NEWS: Sign former Vikings kicker to boost competition – Packers’ 3 best players to target with 2024 NFL Draft first-round pick