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4 Most Overpaid Contracts on Green Bay Packers Roster

By Brian Sampson

LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 23: De'Vondre Campbell #59 of the Green Bay Packers lines up against the Washington Commanders during the first half of the game at FedExField on October 23, 2022 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 23: De'Vondre Campbell #59 of the Green Bay Packers lines up against the Washington Commanders during the first half of the game at FedExField on October 23, 2022 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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The Green Bay Packers have entangled themselves in a salary cap conundrum in recent years, a result of their aggressive win-now mentality. While they have made efforts to alleviate the situation this offseason, such as trading Aaron Rodgers and allowing key free agents to depart, the task of restoring financial stability remains an ongoing challenge.

They have resorted to an approach of adding void years to contracts to create salary cap space in recent seasons. While this tactic provides temporary relief by reducing immediate cap hits, it also comes with the consequence of adding salary obligations to the later years of a contract when the player is no longer with the team.

Now, let’s delve into the assessment of the four most overpaid players on the Packers’ roster, taking into account their positional value, overall impact, and the impending cap hits that Green Bay is poised to incur.

Discover the four most overpaid players on the Green Bay Packers roster, including ballooning salaries and void years galore.

Aaron Jones

  • 2023: $8.2 million cap hit
  • 2024: $17.2 million cap hit
  • 2025: $6.6 million void year

Before we go too far, Aaron Jones is an awesome player, elite playmaker and the Packers’ best proven offensive weapon heading into the 2023 season. Now that we’re on the same page, it’s also true that the cap hits he brings over the next three years are less than ideal.

While his $8.2 million cap hit for 2023 appears reasonable and was even reduced during the offseason, the addition of a $6.6 million void year in 2025 during negotiations lands him on this list. This means the Packers will be paying a substantial sum for him not to play for the team in 2025, which can be a bitter pill to swallow from a financial standpoint. It’s a delicate balance between recognizing Jones’ immense talent and acknowledging the potential drawbacks of his contract structure.

De’Vondre Campbell

  • 2023: $5.5 million cap hit
  • 2024: $14.4 million cap hit
  • 2025: $12.5 million cap hit
  • 2026: $12.5 million cap hit
  • 2027: $657,000 void year

The contract length for an inside linebacker, especially for a player on the wrong side of 30, raises concerns. While the inclusion of a void year may appear minimal, it is the other cap hits that present challenges. Green Bay will likely aim to restructure this deal in the coming years, as their options for potential outs are limited until 2026. In that year, cutting him would yield a savings of $8.2 million, although in every other season, the team would incur more dead money than cap savings. The Packers will need to carefully navigate the financial implications of this contract and explore avenues for optimizing their cap situation in the future.

Kenny Clark

  • 2023: $12.9 million cap hit
  • 2024: $27.5 million cap hit
  • 2025: $13.7 million void year

Quietly, Kenny Clark has endured a slump over the past couple of seasons, which unfortunately mirrors a disappointing trend among Joe Barry’s top defensive players since his arrival in Green Bay. After an impressive 90.2 PFF grade in 2018, Clark’s performance has gradually declined each year: 79.5 in 2019, 76.1 in 2020, 75.4 in 2021, and a concerning 66.4 in 2022.

While his cap hit for 2023 remains reasonable, it significantly escalates in the final year of his contract, 2024. Adding to the concern, the Packers will be burdened with a $13.7 million payment for Clark in 2025 as a void year. If you’re keeping track at home, Green Bay will face the daunting task of owing Jones and Clark alone more than $20 million in void years in 2025.

David Bakhtiari

  • 2023: $21.3 million cap hit
  • 2024: $40.6 million cap hit

David Bakhtiari, unquestionably one of the premier left tackles in the NFL when fully healthy, has unfortunately been plagued by injury setbacks in recent years. It has been three seasons since he last played a full schedule, and his availability for the upcoming season remains uncertain. Compounding the issue, Bakhtiari now carries the largest cap hit on the team, and it is set to nearly double in the following year.

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Looking ahead, the financial implications of parting ways with Bakhtiari in 2024 are significant. The Packers would face a substantial cost of $19 million while only realizing a savings of $21.5 million by waiving him.

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