6 moves Packers can still make to save $23 million on 2023 salary cap

With one week to go until the new NFL season begins, the Green Bay Packers‘ salary cap remains a moving target. They’ve made enough moves to get under the 2023 cap, but still have a few tricks up their sleeves to create even more room if they so desire.

Green Bay has already worked hard to get into legal standing with the 2023 salary cap, removing $39.028 million. Their moves up to this point include:

• Restructured Aaron Jones (cut $11.816 million in 2023)
• Restructured Jaire Alexander ($9.456 million)
• Restructured Preston Smith ($6.668 million)
• Restructured Kenny Clark ($11.068 million)

That gives them $16.66 million in current cap space to work with to re-sign their own free agents, sign their draft picks and bring in any external free agents. However, an Aaron Rodgers’ trade will eat about $9.44 million of that space, creating a need for even more space to accomplish what they want to this offseason.

The Green Bay Packers still have six levers they can pull to create an additional $23 million on their 2023 salary cap if they so desire.

The good news for the immediate future is the Packers have six levers they can still pull to save up to $23 million in total cap space in 2023. The bad news is each lever they pull will cost them down the road.

Here are six moves they still have remaining that would allow them to save money in this year’s cap.

Max Void Restructure Pat O’Donnell (Save $548,000)

Working our way from the smallest savings to the biggest, this move would only create about half a million in cap space for the Packers. It might be worth it as part of a larger plan, but Green Bay also has to weigh the future. Continuing to push money down the road using void years is a bad business model.

Max Void Restructure Jon Runyan (Save $1.386 million)

Runyan is one of the few players on a rookie deal that the Packers can save money with a max void restructure. We’ll see how desperate they are, but this could also be part of a larger move.

Max Void Restructure De’Vondre Campbell (Save $2.628 million)

We begin to get into bigger cap-saving moves with this max void restructure. Campbell’s play declined a bit last year after he was a First-Team All-Pro in 2021. His long-term replacement is probably already on the team in Quay Walker, but it will still be at least another year or two until the Packers can realistically part ways with Campbell.

Extend Rashan Gary (Save $3.025 million)

This is the one move on the list that wouldn’t hurt the Packers long-term. Sure, they will pay Gary a massive amount of money, but his play has earned it. Unlike the max void restructures, they’ll actually be paying him to play for them.

Max Void Restructure Rasul Douglas (Save $3.336 million)

Douglas is another player the Packers re-signed last offseason that could already see his contract touched. He didn’t sign a five-year deal like Campbell and could be a cut candidate next year already, depending on what happens this offseason and on the field this season.

Max Void Restructure David Bakhtiari (Save $12.028 million)

This would be the biggest cap-saving move by far and require Green Bay to add three void years. Bakhtiari has restructured his contract in the past without using the void years. That may be unavoidable this time around.