Green Bay Packers: 10 Items on Brian Gutekunst’s Offseason To-Do List

It’s March, and this is the time of the offseason when things around the NFL start heating up. Free agency begins in just a few weeks, along with the new league year, not to mention that we are creeping closer to the draft. And when it comes to the Green Bay Packers, they, like many teams, have a number of items on their offseason to-do list.

So far, we’ve seen GM Brian Gutekunst restructure David Bakhtiari’s contract as well as cut Rick Wagner and Christian Kirksey. But that is only the tip of the iceberg–there is a lot left to do.

Below I take a look at 10 of what I consider the Green Bay Packers’ most important items still left on that list. And no, they aren’t in any particular order, and of course, there are others that could be included, but these are the most important ones to address.

1. Getting under the salary cap

Okay, after this one there is no particular order. This is item No. 1 that Gutekunst and the Green Bay Packers have to take care and they have only a few weeks to do so. With the salary cap set to drop — the final figure is still unknown — due to a lack of fans in the stands in 2020, the Packers currently find themselves $11.4 million over the projected salary cap.

However, that $11.4 million is only the starting point. That figure doesn’t take into account any future bonuses that may have to be paid out, in-season spending, the draft class, the practice squad, or any free-agent additions.

A few potential moves that Gutey could make to help free up that needed cap space include extending Davante Adams, restructuring Aaron Rodgers’ deal, cutting either Preston Smith or Dean Lowry, extending Adrian Amos, and extending or restructuring Za’Darius Smith.

2. Finding Kenny Clark some help & some interior depth

This is a position that I was surprised to see Green Bay not address last offseason, but this year it is a must. For starters, improved play from the interior defensive line will not only help the run defense and Clark, but it will have a positive trickle-down effect to the edge-rushers and linebackers as well.

While landing a stud in free agency or in the draft may not be in play — or realistic — a rotational player who can ease some of the pressure on Dean Lowry, and Kingsley Keke could still be quite effective. I recently wrote an article on free agent Jurrell Casey and what he could bring to this Green Bay Packers team.

On top of that, the Packers simply just need some added depth at this position as well. At the moment, their IDL depth chart consists of Clark, Lowry, Keke, Willington Previlon, and Anthony Rush.