7 Key Items on Brian Gutekunst and Packers Offseason To-Do List
By Paul Bretl
Packers offseason to-do list: Get under the salary cap
Once again, the Green Bay Packers find themselves in a salary cap bind this offseason. At the moment, Over the Cap has them at more than $16 million over the 2023 projected salary cap, which is the eight-lowest amount of space this offseason.
The good news, I suppose, is that the Packers have a number of moves to get out of the red, most of which will come via contract restructures. This list of players includes David Bakhtiari, Aaron Jones, Preston Smith, De’Vondre Campbell, Kenny Clark, Jaire Alexander, and Rasul Douglas. However, unlike in past seasons, there really aren’t any worthwhile veteran cuts available that would create significant cap savings. Jones and Bakhtiari are two candidates, but with Jones, if the Packers are serious about competing, that move makes little sense. With Bakhtiari, the cap savings just aren’t robust enough to justify the move.
The bad news is that relying on contract restructures to create that needed cap space means pushing additional cap charges to future years, only further stressing the Packers’ salary cap situation. Green Bay also isn’t going to have much spending power in free agency, which means there won’t be any big splashes this offseason.
Perhaps one under-the-radar move to watch would be Green Bay trading Darnell Savage, which would clear just under $8 million in cap space. As I discussed in an article, based on Gutey’s comments at the end of the season, I would guess that Savage is back in 2023. Also, the primary purpose of this move would be as a salary cap dump, rather than trying to maximize the return. It’s also important to note that given the construction of the safety position at the moment, the Packers may not have the luxury to make this move with their lack of depth.
Packers offseason to-do list: Address own pending free agents
The Packers have 17 of their own free agents this offseason to make decisions on. This group includes 14 unrestricted free agents and three restricted free agents.
Much like Marquez Valdes-Scantling a year ago, Allen Lazard may simply be able to earn more going elsewhere. Robert Tonyan was reliable, but the Packers need more playmaking at tight end. Safety is a position very much lacking depth, but Adrian Amos is coming off a down season and may earn more as a free agent.
Green Bay could use a veteran presence on the defensive line, so perhaps a reunion with either Jarran Reed or Dean Lowry makes sense at the right price. The futures of Marcedes Lewis and Randall Cobb very much feel tied to whatever decision Rodgers makes.
Then there are several core special teams players that are free agents, including Keisean Nixon, Eric Wilson, Dallin Leavitt, and Rudy Ford. I imagine that the Packers would like all four back, but that may not be possible. Also, what do the Packers do with Mason Crsoby? While there is a lot of uncertainty, I would anticipate that restricted free agents Yosh Nijman and Tyler Davis will be back.
Below is a look at all of the Packers’ 2023 free agents:
Unrestricted free agents
Adrian Amos, Dean Lowry, Mason Crosby, Marcedes Lewis, Allen Lazard, Robert Tonyan, Jarran Reed, Randall Cobb, Dallin Leavitt, Eric Wilson, Rudy Ford, Corey Ballentine, Keisean Nixon, and Justin Hollins
Restricted free agents
Yosh Nijman, Tyler Davis, and Krys Barnes