The Green Bay Packers could look at adding some free agent help this offseason, as head coach Mike McCarthy reportedly wants the team to be more active on the market than they have in the past.
The Packers suffered a tough loss in the playoffs for the second straight season and that could spark the team to make some changes this winter. According to Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "several sources" have said that McCarthy is "fed up" with how general manager Ted Thompson handles free agency and that he is frustrated with Thompson's "unwillingness to take a chance and reinforce the roster with veteran players that might be unknown to the Packers but have the talent to contribute."
The Packers often are not big spenders in free agency and they usually are one of the best teams at drafting and evaluating talent through homegrown players. The team has made some moves in the past, including with Charles Woodson and Julius Peppers, but more often than not, the Packers stick mainly with players they have drafted and developed through their organization.
While McCarthy's frustrations may not push the team to spend in free agency, there is a chance the team could take a look at some players on the market this offseason. The wide receiver position could be one area of focus, as the team dealt with numerous injuries this season and the offense was not nearly as productive as usual because of it.
The Packers still made the playoffs and Aaron Rodgers still put up solid numbers, but the offense overall had its worst performance since Rodgers took over as the starting quarterback. The team ranked in the bottom half of the league in total yards per game this season and the passing offense was ranked 25th overall in the NFL.
Players like Rishard Matthews, Travis Benjamin, Percy Harvin, Rueben Randle, Jermaine Kearse, Mohamed Sanu and Anquan Boldin could be potential targets, while James Jones is hitting the market and could be an option to return. Losing Jordy Nelson before the season to a serious injury did not help things and injuries to Davante Adams also put the team in a tough spot with depth. Adams had a down season while dealing with injuries and the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes that Adams may "have to fight for a roster spot" next season due to his decreased production.
Jones had a very strong season after signing with the team during the preseason, while Jeff Janis showed some flashes of what he could do. One major disappointment this season was the play of Randall Cobb, as his numbers were down across the board from his career season in 2014. Part of that likely was due to the injuries to other players, as defenses were able to key on Cobb, but overall his numbers decreased in yards, receptions and touchdowns in 2015 from the previous season.
Check here for more on the Packers and potential offseason moves.