The Green Bay Packers may have found their answer to one of the biggest lingering questions on their roster—and it comes in the form of a three-time Pro Bowler who's still available on the free-agent market.
ESPN recently identified edge rusher as the Packers' most glaring need, even after the team's moves during the 2026 NFL Draft. And with just under $18 million in cap space, Green Bay has the financial flexibility to make a splash.
During Day 3 of the draft, the Packers selected edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton, adding him to a position group that already includes Lukas Van Ness and—when healthy—superstar Micah Parsons, who is recovering from a torn ACL suffered last December. 2025 fourth-round pick Barryn Sorrell also remains in the mix.
While Van Ness, Dennis-Sutton, and Sorrell could develop into reliable contributors, the Packers have yet to truly replace Rashan Gary, who was traded to the Dallas Cowboys earlier this offseason. That leaves a noticeable gap in the pass rush, especially with Parsons' return timeline uncertain.
ESPN's Aaron Schatz highlighted the concern: "What happens to the Packers' defense if Micah Parsons, who suffered a torn ACL in December, is not ready for Week 1? The other starting edge rusher is slated to be Lukas Van Ness, who had just 1.5 sacks in nine games last season. The top backups are fourth-round rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton and Barryn Sorrell, who had 1.5 sacks while playing 16% of the Packers' defensive snaps as a rookie last season. This is a team that really needs to explore the remaining free agents in the veteran edge rusher market."
Enter Jadeveon Clowney—a former No. 1 overall pick who spent the 2025 season with the Cowboys and remains unsigned. Adding a veteran of Clowney's caliber would give the Packers a proven pass rusher to pair with Parsons, taking pressure off Van Ness and the younger players. For a team with Super Bowl aspirations in 2026, banking on unproven talent at such a critical position is a risky bet. Clowney could be the steadying presence Green Bay's defense needs to take that next step.