As free agency approaches, the Green Bay Packers are focusing on rebuilding the secondary, particularly with new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley on board.
Hafley’s system is based on excellent secondary coverage. However, as the new league year begins on March 13, both of the Packers’ starting safeties from the 2023 campaign will become unrestricted free agents.
Ahead of the market opening, Pro Football Focus ranks Washington Commanders safety Kamren Curl
as the Packers’ best fit, in a move that would be straight out of Green Bay’s long-running free agency playbook.
“The Packers need to do something at safety,” Brad Spielberger adds. “And we enjoy the idea of them purchasing low on a player who is good at everything but may not be great at anything in particular. Sounds familiar? There are parallels to Green Bay’s recruitment of Adrian Amos in free agency a few years ago, which worked out fairly well.”
If the Packers can recreate the success they had with Curl after Amos’ arrival, it will be a significant step toward developing a defense capable of complementing ascending quarterback Jordan Love and the offense.
How Kamren Curl Fits The Packers
Even if the Packers decide to prioritize a safety in the early rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft, Curl might be the veteran who anchors the bunch.
Kurl, 24, is likely to play his best football yet, but he comes to Green Bay off a career 2023 season in which he recorded 115 total tackles, one sack, five breakups, and 3.5 tackles for loss.
Furthermore, while it is unclear how much blitzing Hafley will implement in his first season as the Packers’ defensive coordinator, Kurl is more than capable of holding his own even if the front seven does not provide extra heat.
According to Pro Football Focus, Curl had an excellent 80.6 coverage rating on targets when Washington did not apply extra pressure, and his forced incompletion percentage of 8 percent was among the highest in the NFL.
Curl has exceeded expectations since being selected in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft by Washington. Curl had 385 total stops in his first 60 career games, with five sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and three interceptions, one of which was recovered for a score.
Can the Packers Afford To Sign Curl?
Fortunately for general manager Brian Gutekunst and the Packers, a player like Curl is not projected to cost a fortune.
With free agency quickly coming, the Packers are expected to have about $13.68 million in cap room to support a youthful and exciting group that exceeded expectations by making the playoffs and defeating the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Divisional round.
While Curl is likely a step below top safety like recently released veterans Justin Simmons and Jordan Poyer, he still has a lot of potential.
Curl is expected to earn $57.7 million over four years, or $14.4 million a year, according to Spotrac. Curl’s contract would make him the fifth-highest-paid strong safety in the NFL.
Given the Packers’ need for a safety and Green Bay’s financial flexibility under the cap, Curl is a player to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.
