The Green Bay Packers have some needs to address during the 2025 offseason, with their edge rush group being among them.
Through 13 games, the Packers have tallied 33 sacks, which is tied for 13th in the NFL. And, they are actually on pace to finish with less than they had in 2023 (45), so Green Bay’s unit is moving in the wrong direction.
Rashan Gary leads the team with 5.5 sacks and is on pace to fall short of what he had last year. The Packers also haven’t gotten the returns they hoped for out of former first-round pick, Lukas Van Ness, who only has three.
With all that is mind, it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see the Packers dip into the free-agent market in 2025 to address their need along the edge. Sportsnaut’s Matt Johnson has the Packers doing just that by signing Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Malcolm Koonce.
“The Green Bay Packers pass rush has been one of their biggest problems this season,” Johnson wrote. “Lukas Van Ness, the 13th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has failed to develop into a reliable starter and Rashan Gary hasn’t looked the same. Something needs to change. Malcolm Koonce, who turns 27 in June, missed the entire 2024 season due to a knee injury. In 2023, however, he recorded 17 QB hits and 8 sacks despite playing in just 44 percent of the Las Vegas Raiders defensive snaps. Koonce would be more affordable than Khalil Mack and he’s also much younger.”
A former third-round pick of the Raiders, Koonce is in the final year of his $4.9 million rookie contract. He had a breakout year in 2023 with eight sacks but was unable to build off of that in 2024 after suffering a season-ending knee injury before Week 1.
Because of his injury and a lack of proven production (he had just two sacks in 2021 and 2022 combined), Koonce should come at a very reasonable price on the open market.
That said, the Raiders are going to be very interested in keeping him around, as Las Vegas is high on the 26-year-old. The Raiders are also loaded with cap space.
If the Packers want to add more pass-rush help but don’t want to break the bank, Koonce is a solid option to pursue once free agency rolls around. However, there will be competition for Koonce’s services.