Packers Release WR Jordy Nelson, Sign Graham and Wilkerson

On a normal day, I'd have a lot to say about two significant free agent signings by the Green Bay Packers, but the release of WR Jordy Nelson hits hard:

#Packers release WR Jordy Nelson: https://t.co/hPO2YLNw2z pic.twitter.com/4jTKhOowrn

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) March 13, 2018

The writing was on the wall a couple months ago when WR Davante Adams was re-signed. Three of the highest paid players on the team were wide receivers and that's not the way to build a balanced roster.

Nelson vanished most of last season, along with the rest of the offense, once QB Aaron Rodgers was injured. But Jordy really disappeared, and it can't all be blamed on Brett Hundley. In 2013, the previous time Rodgers broke his collarbone, Jordy was the only player who kept up the pace alongside a collection of backup QBs and finished with over 1,300 yards. A few years later, and one serious knee injury later, he's not the same receiver who can play like that without his star quarterback.

What really hurts is that they don't have a replacement. Adams is a good starter but he's no Jordy. This makes it harder for the offense to improve on last season.

But they did do something they had to do - find a receiving TE:

The Packers' deal for Jimmy Graham pays $30 million over three years, according to @RapSheet. Graham will earn $22 million of that amount over the first two years of the deal.

— Jason B. Hirschhorn (@by_JBH) March 14, 2018

It's too much money and he'll be no better than the third receiving option, but they had to have a better receiving TE. Lance Kendricks was a big disappointment, one of the few players in the league last season that did not benefit from getting away from Jeff Fisher. They needed a TE who could do some damage in the passing game, and Graham might be a major threat in the red zone. Also, the TE market has gone crazy ($8 million per season is the going rate for a Trey Burton these days) and this is just what a guy like Graham costs.

And though he's not a cornerback, the Packers also found someone to play defense:

Mo Wilkerson's deal with the #Packers is one year, $5 million plus $3M in incentives, source said.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 14, 2018

I'm not super excited about bringing in a guy who couldn't be ran out of town fast enough by the Jets.

I graded 3-4 DEs for B/R this year. Not sure I've seen any NFL player take plays off like Wilkerson did for stretches. I also won't pretend that he wasn't great up until like two years ago. Pettine is worth his title if he gets Wilkerson back to who he was

— right of first refusal Justo (@JuMosq) March 14, 2018

The talent and health still appear to be there, and reuniting with DC Mike Pettine might help. There's no 2019 salary cap risk on a one-year deal, if this doesn't work out, and they'll have Dean Lowry as a backup in 2018 if needed. He provides upside but there's only so many moves they can take in free agency and they just used up $5 million of it on Mo. I hope it works out.