But it's the $2.6 million they didn't spend that may come back to haunt them. That's all it cost the Minnesota Vikings to sign former Packers linebacker Eric Wilson in free agency, and it's a decision GM Brian Gutekunst may already regret.
It only took one game for Packers' decision not to re-sign Eric Wilson to look like a mistake
The Vikings pulled off a remarkable comeback to defeat the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football. They have Wilson to thank.
"I don't know if we win the football game unless you have Eric Wilson," said Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell. "That's why we went out and got him."
And it's exactly why the Packers should've kept him.
Wilson is an elite special teams player and swung momentum firmly in Minnesota's direction by blocking a punt. He also came off the bench to cover for injured linebacker Blake Cashman, taking the green dot to communicate the plays from the sideline. And he couldn't stop making plays.
Only one linebacker in the NFL, New Orleans' Demario Davis, earned a better Pro Football Focus run defense grade than Wilson's 90.9 in Week 1. PFF credited Wilson with three stops on just seven run-defense snaps. He also received an elite 90.3 special teams grade, the fifth-best in the NFL.
The Packers are familiar with his game-changing abilities. In their playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers two years ago, Keisean Nixon fumbled on a big-time kick return that threatened to derail all momentum, but Wilson came out of nowhere to leap on the ball and save the day.
Last season, he covered for Quay Walker. During a three-game stretch, he made 18 tackles, two sacks, and five tackles for loss. He outplayed Walker at times, with many calling for him to become a full-time starter. Wilson also comfortably led the Packers in special teams snaps.
A reliable backup linebacker and core special teams player? Re-signing him seemed like an obvious call, especially for under $3 million.
Letting him walk made no sense at the time, and the Vikings signing him for $2.6 million is quickly becoming a painful lesson for the Packers.
