After a series of offseason decisions vaulted them to the top of the NFC North, the Green Bay Packers will have to push the right buttons to stay there once the 2025 season comes to a close. While everyone’s attention is focused on a playoff appearance, there are several decisions that could already be made in the final weeks of the season, including the fate of edge rusher Kingsley Enagbare.
Enagbare was mentioned as a trade candidate ahead of last month’s deadline, but he’s proving that the Packers made the right choice by keeping him around. After logging four tackles and a sack in Sunday’s win over the Chicago Bears, the South Carolina product is peaking at the right time and may have helped the Packers make the key decision to keep him around when he becomes a free agent next season.
Kingsley Enagbare Is Starting to Become an Offseason Priority for Packers
The Packers may have thought about trading Enagbare as he entered a contract year, but he flipped the narrative by having one of the best stretches of his career. According to Pro Football Focus, Enagbare has eight pressures and 1.5 sacks, and he’s also been involved against the run, logging nine run stops in the six games since the trade deadline.
Perhaps more importantly, Engabare’s snap count has been increasing as he’s outplayed his higher-paid counterpart, Rashan Gary. Gary has logged 16 pressures on 126 pass-rushing snaps over the last six games, but he’s only made seven run stops as the Packers have entrusted Enagbare with the larger role.
The situation played out against the Bears on Sunday. Enagbare arguably had his best game of the season as PFF credited him with two pressures on 15 pass-rushing snaps, and his second-quarter sack of Caleb Williams on Chicago’s final drive of the first half allowed Green Bay to go into halftime with a 14-3 lead.
Even when Chicago came back, Enagbare was a key player on the final drive, stuffing Kyle Monangai on a 3rd-and-1 (h/t @BookOfEli_NFL). The play forced Chicago into a 4th-and-1 with the game on the line, and Williams tossed up an interception to Keisean Nixon that sealed the victory.
Enagbare’s impact was significant compared to Gary’s on Sunday evening. While Gary logged four pressures on 29 pass-rushing snaps, he failed to make a run stop in his 11 snaps against the run. Furthermore, he split time with Enagbare, outsnapping his counterpart 40-39.
This plants the seeds for an interesting offseason decision. Enagbare will be looking for a raise on the $3.475 cap hit he has this season, but he could come back at a fraction of the cost of Gary, who has a $28 million cap hit for 2026. While Gary already restructured his four-year, $96 million contract ahead of this season, another restructure would kick money down the road and keep a player who is paid more and produces less each week.
Set to turn 26 next offseason, Enagbare is also nearly three years younger than Gary, giving Green Bay a more cost-effective option with upside.
Gary’s future is another decision the Packers will have to make, but Enagbare might be on his way to forcing their hand. If the Packers decide to open the checkbook for Enagbare, they could use the savings received by dumping Gary to add depth along the offensive line or at cornerback, helping a team that already is in contention for a title an extended window heading into next season.