The Green Bay Packers will head into free agency with some spending power, but if they want even more financial flexibility, they have a few levers to pull.
Earlier this offseason, the NFL announced that the 2025 salary cap will land between $277.5 million and $281.5 million, an increase of about $24 million from last season.
On the surface, that sounds like a huge boost for Green Bay’s spending ability. But in reality, it won’t make as big of an impact as you’d think.
That’s because Rashan Gary’s cap hit jumps by $14.6 million, and Xavier McKinney’s increases by $10 million. Those two deals alone soak up most of the cap increase.
The good news is Green Bay’s dead cap space is plummeting. After eating a brutal $66 million in dead money in 2024, that number falls to just $18.3 million this season. That’s a massive improvement, and as a result, Packers cap expert Ken Ingalls now projects Green Bay to have around $29 million in effective cap space—about $7 million more than initially expected.
Still, the Packers need more room to maneuver. They’re looking for significant upgrades in free agency, and that means tough roster decisions are ahead.
Here are four players Green Bay should release before free agency begins to free up even more cap space.
Matt Orzech
The Packers need to take another hard look at their special teams unit, and that includes long snapper Matt Orzech.
Orzech was serviceable last season, but serviceable isn’t good enough—especially when roster spots and cap space are at a premium.
Green Bay manipulated his roster status multiple times throughout the year, waiving and re-signing him without much concern that another team would swoop in. That alone says a lot about how they view his value.
Now, Orzech carries a $1.17 million cap hit for 2025—a number the Packers can erase entirely by releasing him.
It’s a small move, but every dollar counts when a team is looking to improve across the board. Green Bay should scour the market for an upgrade, explore cheaper alternatives, and free up some cash in the process. There’s no reason to overpay for mediocrity at a specialist position.