Rob Demovsky examines the Packers' activity during free agency and offers a player to keep an eye on for Green Bay in the draft. (1:37)

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- March was a particularly expensive month for the Green Bay Packers last year.

Not so much this year.

A year after general manager Brian Gutekunst committed up to $182 million -- including $56 million in signing bonus money -- on the most expensive day in Packers free agency history by signing four players from outside the organization, he reduced spending by more than 85%.

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The deals signed this year by the three outside free agents -- linebacker Christian Kirksey, tackle Rick Wagner and receiver Devin Funchess -- totaled only $26.5 million. And of that, only $7.5 million came in upfront signing bonus money.

The Packers also re-signed three of their own unrestricted free agents: tight end Marcedes Lewis (one year, $2.3 million), kick returner/running back Tyler Ervin (one year, $1,047,500) and safety Will Redmond (one year, $750,000).

Gutekunst told everyone that his approach to free agency would be different this year, and he held true to his word.

Two of the three new players -- Kirksey and Wagner -- were cuts from other teams. The other, Funchess, was on just a one-year deal with the Colts last season. Two of them are coming off major injuries: Funchess played only in last year's season opener, when he broke his collarbone and never returned, while Kirksey tore his pectoral muscle in Week 2 and missed the rest of the year.

The Packers added linebacker Christian Kirksey with a two-year, $13 million contract. Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire

Kirksey's contract, in part, was designed to protect the Packers in case of more injuries. It contains the largest weekly roster bonuses of any player on the team -- up to $1 million ($62,500 per game active) this season and $1.25 million ($78,125 per game active) next season. That's significantly more than the Packers' highest weekly roster bonus from last season, for tackle Bryan Bulaga ($700,000, $43,750 per game active), who also had a history of injuries. Bulaga earned all of his roster bonus money last season by playing in every regular-season game.

According to ESPN Stats & Information research, the Packers have $11,799,251 left under their 2020 salary cap.

Here's a breakdown of the three new contracts:

Christian Kirksey

Total : Two years, $13 million

Signing bonus : $4 million.

2020 : $1.75 million base salary; up to $1 million in weekly roster bonuses ($62,500 per game active); $250,000 workout bonus; salary-cap charge of $4.125 million; total cash of $7 million. There are up to $1.5 million in incentives based on production and playing time that are considered "not likely to be earned" for salary-cap purposes.

2021: $3 million base salary; $1.5 million roster bonus due the third day of the league year; up to $1.25 million in weekly roster bonuses ($78,125 per game active); $250,000 workout bonus; salary-cap charge of $8 million; total cash of $6 million. There are up to $1.5 million in incentives based on production and playing time that are considered "not likely to be earned" for salary-cap purposes.

Rick Wagner

Total : Two years, $11 million

2020 : $3.5 million signing bonus; $2.25 million base salary; up to $750,000 in weekly roster bonuses ($46,875 per game active); $250,000 workout bonus; salary-cap charge of $4,812,500; total cash of $6.75 million.

2021: $2.25 million base salary; $1 million roster bonus due the third day of the league year; up to $750,000 in weekly roster bonuses ($46,875 per game active); $250,000 workout bonus; salary-cap charge of $6 million; total cash of $4.25 million.

Devin Funchess