Packers lose free agent safety target to Rams

For the second time this offseason, a safety that Green Bay was linked to has signed elsewhere.

Last week, ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler reported that the Green Bay Packers were “considered a threat in the safety market,” noting that the team had shown interest in both Xavier McKinney and Kamren Curl. They were spot on with the McKinney angle, as the Packers agreed to terms with the former New York Giants on a four-year, $67 million contract on the first day of the “legal tampering period.”

McKinney is expected to play free safety in Jeff Hafley’s single-high safety scheme, which should allow the young defensive back to roam the deep middle of the field. Curl is a player who could hypothetically compliment McKinney well, as he fits more of the strong safety mold — a player who can play in the box closer to the line of scrimmage.

There’s just one problem: Curl signed with the Los Angeles Rams overnight. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Curl — who started 53 games for the Washington Commanders during his rookie contract — signed a two-year contract with Los Angeles that can pay the 24-year-old up to $13 million.

While we don’t know exactly how much cap space the Packers have at the moment, as the full details of their recently signed contracts have yet to be announced, a contract of that scale shouldn’t have maxed the team’s cap situation out. Heck, just recently the team was poking around on linebacker Josey Jewell, who signed a three-year, $22.75 million deal with the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday.

For whatever reason, though, Green Bay didn’t pull the trigger on this deal. Don’t fret just yet, Packers fans, as there are still some free-agent safety options on the market. According to The Athletic, the following safeties are still unsigned and rank among their top 150 free agents of this class: Justin Simmons, Kyle Dugger, Marcus Maye, Julian Blackmon, Quandre Diggs, Tashaun Gipson Sr., Jordan Fuller and Jamal Adams. Fuller is notable, as Curl just took his spot on Fuller’s former team — the Rams.

Keep an eye out on what the Packers’ next move is at the safety position. Curl is the second signing that Green Bay has lost out on at the position since the McKinney deal. The other was safety Rayshawn Jenkins, who had a meeting scheduled with the team but wound up signing with the Seattle Seahawks before he ever took a trip to Green Bay.

If the Packers want to upgrade from second-year, seventh-round pick Anthony Johnson Jr. in the second safety spot for them before April’s draft, they’re probably going to have to sign a veteran soon.