Thursday Cheese Curds: Packers get ready to do the safety dance next week

More safeties keep getting cut around the NFL, so the Packers should have no shortage of options when free agency opens next week.

As the Green Bay Packers head into the start of free agency next week with their books mostly under control, several other NFL teams are in the midst of massive salary cap-related cuts. Cap casualties are racking up all around the NFL, and no position has been hit harder by the preseason cap crunch than safety.

That is true when looking at the total amount of non-guaranteed salary relief the NFL has shed by position, as the safety spot is now over $100 million this offseason alone:

Of course, that sets up well for the Green Bay Packers and their pursuit of reinforcements at the position this offseason. A bigger pool of available players means more options for the Packers, but that greater supply likely means the cost of signing free agents will come down. At this point, the Packers could very well invest in multiple veteran safeties this offseason rather than trying to double dip and find one starter on the market and another in the NFL Draft.

It all begins next week with the start of the negotiation period on Monday, followed by the official start of free agency on Wednesday. Get ready for a wild week.

For Packers, free agent class looks rich at safety position | Packers Wire
The list of safeties coming available — both as unrestricted free agents and as cap casualties — just keeps expanding.

Bills’ Jordan Poyer, Tre’Davious White and the cost of winning now – ESPN
The Bills cut a whole bunch of players on Wednesday, but the almost-33-year-old Poyer will be the name that sticks out for Packers fans because he’s a safety.

Broncos release safety Justin Simmons after eight seasons | NFL.com
Another name is on the list this morning, as Simmons — 30 years old and a 4-time second-team All-Pro — will be on the market as well.

NFL Scout Helps Rank Top Safeties Capable of Filling Packers’ Biggest Need – Sports Illustrated
It seems that former Giant Xavier McKinney is the consensus pick as the top safety on the board, but after him, the tiers and rankings of available players is very much in the eye of the beholder.

Some Chiefs fans who got frostbite at playoff game need amputations | FOX 4 KC
Keep those gloves on in weather like that!