As the Green Bay Packers sit back in the season's final week with their playoff seeding locked into place, fans can't help but glance towards the upcoming offseason. While dreams of a magical January run remain, it is understandable to begin thinking about the ways that general manager Brian Gutekunst can improve the Packers, either through the NFL draft or free agency.
2026 is almost here, making it the perfect time to speculate about who likely won't be back in Green Bay. That potential list will likely be led by these three Packers, starting with veteran wide receiver Romeo Doubs.
1. Romeo Doubs, WR
Doubs is slated to hit free agency at the end of the season and has exploded at the worst possible time. The pass-catcher has more than done his part over the last two weeks, putting up 146 receiving yards and a touchdown on eight catches. This production is going to go a long way in getting Doubts paid in free agency and pushing him out of Green Bay's comfort zone, as Spotrac is currently projecting his market value to be $12.1 million annually.
For reference, that would eat up most of the $19.4 million-ish in cap space that Green Bay is projected to have.
Already, the Packers have two great starting options at receiver under contract, with Christian Watson having a great year and rookie Matthew Golden being a first-round investment. This all adds up to the Packers opting to part ways with Doubs and moving forward with a group of talented pass catchers that will benefit from the 2026 return of Tucker Kraft as well.
For Doubs, it has been an up-and-down season that has totaled 724 receiving yards and six touchdowns. This included a three-touchdown performance in an early-season tie with the Dallas Cowboys. Unless Doubs is willing to take a hometown discount, his time with the franchise is clearly reaching its end.
2. Jeff Hafley, DC
It has been well-covered territory that the Packers appear poised to lose their defensive coordinator. When Green Bay has come up short this season, it has rarely been on the shoulders of an injury-plagued defense. Even after losing Micah Parsons for the season, Jeff Hafley has continued to find ways to have his unit compete and keep games within reach. Add in the fact that the league is lacking any clearly elite coaching names on the market, and Hafley should be among the top offseason targets.
He's already been linked to multiple teams, including the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans.
Green Bay fans understand the inevitability of this, and why the DC is going ot be so highly sought after. If Hafley is on his way out, it only further highlights how the Packers must end the season by hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
For Hafley, the coach should be very cautious picking his landing spot, looking at Ben Johnson as one clear example. The former rival picked his spot and waited out the coaching market to find the right opportunity before joining the Chicago Bears. The Packers can only hope that this doesn't present itself, and Hafley opts to make the surprise decision to return.
3. Rasheed Walker, LT
Considering how pieced together the offensive line has been throughout the 2025 season, it would be a surprise to see Green Bay opt to pay any pending free agents. This is especially the case for Rasheed Walker, who has proven himself replaceable, with Jordan Morgan proving to be the future of the left tackle position.
Walker is projected to make upwards of $23.7 million, clearly ruling out a reunion and leaving Morgan as the de facto LT1 for the 2026 season.
Walker should have no trouble finding a new landing spot, considering the past reliability. However, the Packers are entering a stage after paying Micah Parsons and Jordan Love, where the cap becomes far tighter. Bringing back Walker is simply a luxury the team cannot afford to chase and shouldn't after Morgan's emergence.
The only question mark is how much the Packers will shake up the offensive line and what depth pieces will be brought back. Walker isn't among these questions, clearly being set up to find a new landing spot at the end of the 2025 season.