With the NFL salary cap exploding, it's a great time to be an ascending player whose contract is set to expire after this season. And that's the case with this particular late-round gem on the Green Bay Packers.
For a long time, the Green Bay Packers were all-in on the draft-and-develop model. It was their identity.
They stayed out of splashy free agency moves and focused on building a sustainable roster through the draft and smart extensions. But under general manager Brian Gutekunst, that formula has shifted slightly. He’s still building through the draft, but he’s also shown a willingness to spend when the time is right. Just look at last year: he went out and got big names like Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney to fill immediate needs.
Still, the Packers pride themselves on finding talent late in the draft and turning those guys into legit starters. That’s exactly what they’ve done with Rasheed Walker.
Rasheed Walker Is About to Have a Breakout Campaign in 2025
Walker was the 249th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft — deep into the seventh round, where most players are long shots to even make the 53-man roster. But Walker didn’t just stick around; he rose through the depth chart and became a mainstay on the offensive line.
He barely saw the field as a rookie, appearing in just one game.
But when David Bakhtiari suffered a season-ending injury in Week 1 of the 2023 season, Walker was thrown into the fire — and he handled it like a pro. Since then, he’s started 32 games, including the playoffs, and locked down the left tackle position for Green Bay.
In 18 starts last season, Walker allowed just three sacks and four quarterback hits. He kept the pocket clean for Jordan Love and gave the Packers consistency at one of the most critical positions in football.
His technique still has room for improvement, but the raw tools are all there — athleticism, footwork, power, and awareness. He’s become one of the better young blindside protectors in the league, and not enough people are talking about it.
Now, Walker is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and if he keeps this level of play up — or takes another step forward — he’s about to secure generational wealth.
The only question is: will it be with the Packers?
That’s where things get complicated.
Green Bay has already spent significant money on its offensive line. Right tackle Zach Tom just signed a four-year, $88 million extension — a savvy deal that doesn’t reset the market but keeps him locked in through his prime. Elgton Jenkins is on the books for $17.6 million next year, and Aaron Banks will count another $9 million against the cap.
Then there’s the draft capital. In the 2024 NFL Draft, the Packers used their first-round pick on Jordan Morgan — a versatile lineman who can play guard or tackle, but whose long-term future could very well be at left tackle.
One year later, they spent a second-round pick on Anthony Belton, another player who profiles well at multiple spots. Add in three more Day 3 linemen in the last two years, and the room is crowded with young talent.
That means Walker might be playing his way out of Green Bay — not because he’s not good enough, but because the Packers may simply not be able to afford him or justify another big contract on the offensive line.
That’s why 2025 is such a massive year for him. If he can beat out Morgan again in training camp and hold onto the starting job for another full season, Walker will be positioned as one of the top tackles hitting free agency next offseason.
And he's in line for a monster contract based on how contracts are trending.
Jake Matthews just signed a two-year, $45 million extension at age 33. Dan Moore Jr. — a borderline starter — got paid $20.5 million per year. Ronnie Stanley is making $20 million per season.
Walker is younger than all of them, arguably better than at least two, and hasn’t even hit his ceiling yet. At just 25 years old, with another full season of quality tape protecting a franchise quarterback, he’ll be one of the most in-demand linemen on the market in 2026.
Whether the payday comes from Green Bay or another team, Walker is about to turn a seventh-round start into life-changing money. He’s proof that you don’t need to be a first-round pick to become a franchise cornerstone — you just need the opportunity, the work ethic, and the production.
And if he keeps balling out this season, the bag is coming.