The Green Bay Packers are getting close to kicking off their 2025 offseason workout programs, but you can bet your bottom dollar the front office already has its eyes on next year’s financial chessboard.
Maybe the Packers’ quiet free agency this offseason wasn’t about hesitation—it might’ve been strategy. Because a cap avalanche is coming in 2026, and Green Bay knows it.
Several key players are set to hit unrestricted free agency, including Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Zach Tom, Rasheed Walker, Sean Rhyan, Kingsley Enagbare, and Malik Willis.
Keeping the whole gang together isn’t realistic. The money just isn’t there. According to OverTheCap, the Packers are projected to have only $6.1 million in cap space heading into 2026.
To carve out some financial breathing room, some tough cuts may be coming. Here are five way-too-early cap casualties to keep on your radar for 2026.
Isaiah McDuffie
The ink is barely dry on Isaiah McDuffie’s new two-year, $8 million contract—and yet, his future in Green Bay might already be on the chopping block.
He’s set to carry a $4.975 million cap hit in 2026. That’s not a bank-breaker, but it’s also not nothing—especially for a player who might be fourth or fifth on the depth chart. The Packers could save $3.7 million by letting him go, and that’s the kind of math teams start to crunch when the cap gets tight.
McDuffie’s value comes from being a solid special-teams guy and a serviceable depth option on defense. But he’s also the kind of player teams feel they can swap out without much drop-off.
Looking ahead, Green Bay already has Edgerrin Cooper and Ty’Ron Hopper under contract for 2026. They also just added Isaiah Simmons, who brings similar versatility—and a bit more juice. And even though they declined Quay Walker’s fifth-year option, there’s still a good chance he re-signs on a more team-friendly deal.
In short, McDuffie could be caught in a cap crunch. He’s not a bad player—just a potential casualty of the numbers game.
Rashan Gary
I recently wrote about how Rashan Gary needs to be the Packers' most valuable defensive player in 2025. But let’s call it like it is: so far, Green Bay isn’t getting enough bang for their buck.
Gary led the team last season in sacks (7.5), hurries (10), quarterback knockdowns (8), and total pressures (26). On paper, that looks solid—until you realize it says more about the Packers' anemic pass rush than Gary lighting the world on fire.
Across the NFL, Gary was just another guy. He ranked 37th in sacks, 27th in hurries, 47th in QB knockdowns, and 32nd in total pressures. That’s not the résumé of a game-wrecker.
And then there’s the money. Gary is set to be Green Bay’s second-highest cap hit in 2025 at a jaw-dropping $25.77 million. That number jumps to $28.02 million in 2026 and remains the second-highest on the team behind Jordan Love. You don’t pay middle-of-the-pack production top-of-the-market money—at least not for long.
If Gary doesn’t take a big leap this season, he could be in danger of getting cut. The Packers do have an out in his contract: they’d save $10.99 million by moving on in 2026. The catch is they'd still be stuck eating $17.04 million in dead money—something no team signs up for willingly.
In a perfect world, Gary plays up to his paycheck and becomes the defensive anchor this team needs. But this isn't Madden, and the clock is ticking. Gary needs to prove immediately he's worth the massive paycheck he's collecting every week.
Jaire Alexander
Jaire Alexander’s situation has been talked to death this offseason, and we still don’t have a clear answer on where it’s going. That said, it’s looking more and more like he’ll be sticking around in Green Bay for at least another year.
But even if he does stay, don’t rule out a split in 2026. As his contract currently stands, the Packers could save $17.49 million by releasing him next offseason while only taking on $9.52 million in dead money. That’s a much cleaner financial picture than what they're dealing with now.
If Alexander’s deal doesn’t get restructured—and if injuries again keep him sidelined—Green Bay might decide to rip the Band-Aid off and move on. Finally.
Kenny Clark
Kenny Clark has been a rock in the middle of Green Bay’s defense for nearly a decade. But even the most solid foundations start to crack over time.
Last season, he was tied for 12th on the team in sacks (1), third in hurries (6), and fourth in pressures (11). That’s either the start of a decline for the soon-to-be 30-year-old or just an off year. Either way, it’s a data point the front office can’t ignore.
If the slide continues, the Packers could save $14.39 million by parting ways with the longtime leader. It wouldn’t be easy—Clark has been a locker room staple—but sentimentality doesn’t count against the cap. Tough decisions loom if they want to stay financially agile heading into the next wave of contract extensions.
Elgton Jenkins
Unlike some others on this list, Elgton Jenkins is still balling. He’s been one of the league’s top guards, year in and year out.
But his move to center may change how the Packers view his value.
His 2025 cap hit of $17.6 million puts him as the fifth-highest paid guard, which tracks with his performance. However, now that he’s playing center, that number shoots him to the top of the position’s pay scale—by more than $3 million.
It only gets pricier in 2026. His cap hit jumps another $7 million, making him the highest-paid center by a jaw-dropping $10 million.
Unless Green Bay restructures his deal, they could opt to cut bait and save $20 million. That would sting on the field—but it could buy them the financial flexibility to plug multiple holes elsewhere.