The Green Bay Packers are among the sharpest teams in the NFL when it comes to managing their money.
That’s why they not only had enough cap space to absorb Micah Parsons in a trade, but also enough cold, hard cash to hand him a massive $44 million signing bonus. That’s easier said than done when you don’t have a billionaire owner bankrolling operations.
Green Bay has to be financially sharp with every decision. Each move, on and off the field, must be calculated with precision. Unlike other teams, they can’t count on deep-pocketed ownership to cover for a misstep.
That’s what makes their roster construction fascinating. Spotrac recently released a breakdown of how every team spends on each defensive position group—edge, interior defensive line, linebackers, cornerbacks, and safeties—offering a clear look at how teams allocate resources.
Will Packers' Defensive Financial Strategy Work?
Thanks to the Parsons trade and contract, the Packers lead the league in spending on edge rushers. Using average annual salaries rather than 2025 cap hits, Green Bay is committing $79.16 million to the position. That’s more than $10 million above the next highest team and more than any other team spends at any defensive spot across the NFL.
Parsons’ $46.5 million average salary drives most of that, but Rashan Gary’s $24 million deal adds another hefty piece.
Meanwhile, the interior defensive line is at the opposite end of the spectrum. After trading away Kenny Clark, the Packers are spending just $7.48 million on the group—dead last in the NFL and the fifth-lowest figure for any position across the league. That’s what happens when five players on rookie contracts make up the unit.
Linebacker spending is also near the bottom. Green Bay’s $11 million AAV also ranks towards the bottom of the league, with the $10.7 million cap hit ranking 26th.
At cornerback, they land in the middle tier. The Packers’ $20.86 million average ranks 23rd. Safety is where they finally crack the top ten. At $22.83 million AAV (9th in the league), the bulk of that comes from Xavier McKinney’s $16.75 million deal.
Taken as a whole, the picture is clear: Parsons, McKinney, and Gary command big money, and the Packers are banking on several rookies and young players to outperform their contracts.
That puts pressure on defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as he enters year two. If he can elevate the defense from good to great, the Packers’ financial strategy will look like another win. If not, the top-heavy spending at EDGE could loom large.