The Green Bay Packers aren't flashy in free agency but they get things done and after signing Julius Peppers, names like Devin Hester, Kenny Britt, Miles Austin, Santonio Holmes, Antonio Cromartie and Darrius Heyward-Bey could be in the mix for the team as they head into the 2014 season with Aaron Rodgers, Eddie Lacy and Randall Cobb coming back.
The Packers always seem to make a smart signing of a veteran player that gets released and after doing it with Charles Woodson, they brought in Peppers and now he should be able to shore up the pass rush with BJ Raji coming back as well. According to ESPN.com, the Packers could look to Devin Hester on the free agent market, as they have Randall Cobb coming back from a serious injury and that means he may not return kicks as much anymore and that could open the door for someone like Hester. While he doesn't play much receiver anymore he could do that as well after James Jones signed with the Oakland Raiders and the report says that Hester is currently looking for a $4-million deal over one year after he parted ways with the Chicago Bears.
Hester has already visited with the Atlanta Falcons and other teams and he could be a great option for the Packers, as he could play in Soldier Field against the Bears this season. Hester makes sense for the Packers after they ranked 30th in the league in kickoff return yards average and while part of that was due to Cobb getting hurt, it also means that the unit needs an upgrade. Micah Hyde was the main punt returner and he performed well, but the team may want to use him more on defense and having him return punts could be a risk if he gets injured.
The 31-year-old Hester still has the skills to take back kicks and he has 18 kickoff and punt returns for touchdowns in his career and that is the NFL record. The Packers have been solid in free agency so far, as they have lost Evan Dietrich-Smith and James Jones, but they have some in house replacements and that sets them up to be patient on the free agent market.
With Jones leaving and Cobb coming off of a serious injury, the team could look at names like Kenny Britt, Miles Austin, Santonio Holmes and Jacoby Ford, as all those players likely would not cost as much as Jones did. The biggest issue for the Packers is Jones' production, as he had a good relationship with Aaron Rodgers and he had 24 touchdowns over the past three seasons and last year he was great as well, setting a career best in yards with 59 catches for 817 yards during the season.
The team also could look to Antonio Cromartie or Champ Bailey as cornerback options, while Holmes was released from the Jets and he could be a cheap wideout pickup as well. Kenny Britt has had interest from the Redskins, Jets and some other teams, but so far he has not signed yet either. The Packers also may go back after Matt Flynn as a backup if he doesn't get signed, as he was solid for the team in that role last season with Rodgers injured.
