Green Bay Packers Cut ’em or Keep ’em & Prediction: Billy Turner
By Paul Bretl
We continue on with my Cut ’em or Keep ’em & Prediction series by taking a look at Green Bay Packers’ right tackle Billy Turner.
Given the salary cap situation, this is going to be an offseason filled with difficult decisions and a lot of potential roster turnover. In this series, I am taking a look at each potential salary-cap casualty and examining why the Packers could keep them, why they may cut them, and then I’m making a prediction.
If you missed any of the other players that I’ve covered so far, you can find them below.
Why the Green Bay Packers could keep Billy Turner
2022 cap hit: $9.16 million
For two seasons now, Billy Turner has provided stability at the right tackle position for the Green Bay Packers. During the 2021 season, Aaron Rodgers would call Turner the “unsung hero” of the offensive line and added that he deserves Pro Bowl consideration for his play.
Turner would surrender just three sacks the entire season, according to PFF ($$), and he also provides the versatility to play inside or even move to left tackle as needed–which is incredibly valuable. I know the offensive line had a rough showing against San Francisco, but Turner at left tackle was not the problem.
Without Turner, the Green Bay Packers then need to find a new right tackle. Although his cap hit is on the larger side this season, there is something to be said for the stability that Turner provides, not to mention that Rodgers often speaks highly of him.
Over the Cap projects that if Green Bay were to extend Turner, they could still save $3.7 million in cap space this season. If they were to restructure his contract with voided years, they could potentially save $3.5 million. Also, with Turner’s dead cap hit being larger than the cap savings that the Packers will gain, having him as the right tackle may be more valuable than the savings from cutting him.