Brad Behrens

After rejecting an initial two-year, $8 million offer to return to the Packers next season, CB Tramon Williams looks destined to become a free agent. The Seattle Seahawks have made it clear that, if Williams does become a free agent, they would love to have him anchor their defensive backfield opposite Richard Sherman. Seattle seems resigned to losing CB Byron Maxwell, who will most likely be the hottest free agent cornerback, and the Seahawks' GM John Schneider has a history with Williams, as he signed him to the Packers practice squad in 2006. Schneider also likes Williams' proven ability to play both bump-and-run and off-coverage and believes he would be a great if in Pete Carroll’s aggressive Cover 3 scheme.

The Green Bay Packers are prepared to let Randall Cobb test the free agent market, according to several sources, and focus on signing key free agents OT Bryan Bulaga and DT Letroy Guion. The Packers feel that Cobb’s market is “likely to get out of hand” with Jacksonville and Oakland prepared to pay top dollar for a high-end pass catcher in free agency. Cobb and his camp are seeking a deal worth an average of $9 million per year and, while a deal in that range is below what fellow WR Jordy Nelson received last off-season, that price tag exceeds the going rate for a slot receiver like Cobb.

Despite the most pressing needs along the defensive front seven, Todd McShay’s early February mock draft has the Green Bay Packers selecting Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. At first glance, it may seem unlikely for the Packers to draft an offensive player when help is needed on the defensive side of the ball (especially inside linebacker). However, with the recent release of TE Brandon Bostick , it does make sense to bring in some competition to push fellow tight ends Richard Rodgers and Andrew Quarless.

While A.J. Hawk has been a solid contributor to the Green Bay defense throughout his 9 year career, his role began to slowly decline this season. Even though he was third on the team in total tackles in 2014, Hawk only played 18 out of a possible 73 defensive snaps in the NFC Championship Game. If the Packers do decide to move on, they could save close to $7 million in cap space by cutting Hawk and fellow ILB Brad Jones (who played 0 defensive snaps in the NFC Championship Game). Both Hawk and Jones are currently under contract for next season.

In typical Ted Thompson fashion, the NFL Draft is a big deal for the Green Bay Packers and how they have built their teams since Thompson came to town. However, this off-season, the Packers look to make their free agents a priority as several of their key players, such as Randall Cobb, Bryan Bulaga, and Tramon Williams, are set to become free agents. “"We want to sign our guys back. We want all our guys back; it's usually my thought going into it,” said head coach Mike McCarthy on Wednesday. However, none of the them may be more important than Cobb, who put together his most impressive season as a pro (91 receptions, 1287 yards, 12 TD) and helped the Packers rank 1st in scoring offense in 2014. With the type of year Cobb just had, it would be dangerous for the Packers to let him hit the free agency market.