ESPN's Rob Demovsky recently reported that an NFL agent told him the Green Bay Packers will be active players in free agency. According to the agent, the Packers will be closely monitoring three key position groups, one of which is the pass rush. 

Green Bay’s main core on the defensive line is under contract for 2025, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t use an infusion of talent. The Packers' defense ranked just 26th in pass rush win rate last year. Additionally, Rashan Gary’s team-leading 47 pressures were only good for 31st best among all qualified edge rushers. If Super Bowl LIX taught us anything, it’s that you can’t have a successful defense without being able to generate pressure with a four-man front.

There are some intriguing names set to hit the open market in just a few hours, and several have already generated buzz among the fan base. Chase Young, Josh Sweat, and Khalil Mack are all names being discussed as potential targets. Additionally, Green Bay has reportedly shown interest in signing Dayo Odeyingbo. However, there's an under-the-radar option that could make a lot of sense for Brian Gutekunst to target:

Azeez Ojulari. 

Ojulari is just 24 years old and already has 22 sacks in 46 career games. Sure, there are some injury concerns—he’s missed 12 games over the past two seasons—but that could also keep his price down, making him a more affordable option. Plus, he played at Georgia, and we all know how much Gutekunst loves his Bulldogs. In the season he played all 17 games, Ojulari generated 42 pressures and 8 sacks. Even with missing 6 games last year, his 6 sacks would have made him the second-most productive edge rusher on the Packers.

Under Brian Gutekunst, the Packers have typically targeted free agents who are 27 or younger and have at least an average Relative Athletic Score (RAS). Most of his top signings have fallen within that age range, and while the RAS scores vary, the majority have been above 5.0. Ojulari fits both criteria—he’s still just 24 years old and posted a 8.18 RAS coming out of college. Given Green Bay’s history of prioritizing youth and athleticism in free agency, he would align well with their usual approach to roster building.

Spotrac projects Azeez Ojulari to receive an average annual value of $7.6 million in his next contract, which seems like a reasonable price for a player of his potential. A three-year, $24 million deal between the Packers and Ojulari doesn’t seem unrealistic. It’s not a huge gamble, and it would give the Packers his services for the first three years of his prime. 

The Packers could bring him in as a pass rush specialist, allowing him to focus on what he does best—getting after the quarterback. That was when he was most effective in New York. Meanwhile, Green Bay excelled at stopping the run last season, with Rashan Gary leading all edge defenders in run stop win rate and T.J. Slaton ranking first among interior defensive linemen. With a strong foundation against the run, the Packers can afford to deploy Ojulari in a role that maximizes his pass-rushing ability, strengthening their defensive front without compromising run defense.

Another factor that could steer the Packers away from signing Ojulari, aside from his injury history, is his size. He is listed at 240 pounds on Pro Football Reference, while no edge rusher on Green Bay’s roster is under 250. For comparison, Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness weigh 277 and 272 pounds, respectively. The Packers have traditionally favored bigger edge defenders, but that trend could change if Jeff Hafley sees value in adding a more specialized pass rusher to the rotation.

The New York Giants already have their top two edge rushers under contract for 2025 in Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, so it’s reasonable to expect Ojulari will hit the open market. He seems like a natural fit for the Packers, who could use his pass-rushing ability to strengthen their defense—particularly on second and third-and-long situations.