After the Green Bay Packers fell short of winning the Lombardi trophy last season, the team will make some moves in order to be in a better position for a title in 2025. Green Bay has a history of making some major moves that ultimately helped them achieve the ultimate goal. With free agency approaching, let’s take a look at the Packers top free agency signings since the start of the 21st century.

Top 5 Packers Free Agency Pickups Of The 21st Century

5. Za’Darius Smith, 2019

Smith signed with the Packers after playing in Baltimore for his first four seasons and flourished in Green Bay. Although he played only two full seasons with the Packers, his skill set ignited an unmatched fire in the team.

Smith earned his first two Pro Bowl selections and first All-Pro selection, recording 26 total sacks across 32 games with Green Bay. After missing the playoffs in 2017 and 2018, Smith helped lead Green Bay back to the playoffs and their first top-10 team defensive ranking since their Super Bowl season.

4. Xavier McKinney, 2024

McKinney had a breakout season after coming over from the New York Giants, where he spent the first four years of his career. He recorded eight interceptions and earned his first Pro Bowl selection and All-Pro Honors with Green Bay last season. McKinney served to be the cause of the team’s ability to win without their starting quarterback at the beginning of the season, recording an interception in five straight games.

The last time the Packers signed a big-name safety in free agency, they won the Super Bowl four years later. If he stays in Green Bay, he could repeat history as a leader on this Packers defense.

3. Adrian Amos, 2019

Before joining the Packers, Amos spent his first four years in the league with the Packers all-time rival Chicago Bears, where he cemented himself as one of the rising stars at the safety position. As a Packer, he cemented himself as one of the best in the league.

Amos was an elite tackler and lockdown defender who added some much-needed depth to the defense, as Josh Jones and Kentrell Brice were Green Bay’s primary safeties heading into the 2019 offseason. As a result of the addition, Green Bay ranked 7th in coverage grade by PFF compared to their previous season’s ranking of 26th.

2. Preston Smith, 2019

2019 may have been the best free agency the Packers had since signing Reggie White from the Philadelphia Eagles. In trying to go all out in what seemed to be Aaron Rodgers last few seasons in Green Bay, Brian Gutekunst went out and got Smith from Washington.

With Clay Matthews and Nick Perry on the last legs of their careers in Green Bay, Smith came in and dominated in their place. Smith had 12 sacks in his first season and was one of the more consistent players as a pass rusher for Green Bay. Although his regression was inevitable in 2024, it is clear that the Packers defense needed to fill the hole that was created when he went to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

1. Charles Woodson, 2006

No other player suits the number one spot on this list better than the sheriff. Woodson spent most of his career as an Oakland Raider, but had some of his most decorated seasons after signing with Green Bay.

In his first season as a Packer, he recorded more interceptions (8) than the previous five years combined (7). Four of the seven seasons he spent with Green Bay saw him record seven or more interceptions. Over half of his interceptions were with Green Bay despite spending four more total seasons on the Raiders.

Beyond the statistics, the all-time great led the Packer defense to a Super Bowl win and continued to dominate the next few seasons after suffering a collarbone injury late in the game.