Among the many decisions facing the Green Bay Packers was whether or not to retain linebacker Quay Walker. The defender is coming off another up-and-down season, and with cap space tight, it appeared likely the two sides could part ways. However, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero offered a promising update that is likely to change Green Bay's perspective on bringing back Walker for the 2026 season.
""The NFL informed clubs today it is projecting a 2026 salary cap in the range of $301.2 million to $305.7 million per club, per source. That would represent another significant jump from this year’s $279.2 million cap number, and nearly $100M than the $208.2M cap in 2022.""Tom Pelissero
This is a huge leap that makes the deals handed to Jordan Love and Micah Parsons far less cumbersome and will make it far easier to retain key pieces. It is a much-needed win for a franchise that flamed out of the playoffs in frustrating fashion and has faced questions about the stability of its coaching staff. Benefitting from such a huge cap raise helps offset these concerns and turn attention to key pieces that could be added or retained. Walker should be near the top of this list, having put together a clear case to be re-signed.
While the coverage concerns are obvious, Walker is still a tackling machine, totaling 128 tackles in the 2025 season while adding 2.5 sacks and 12 total pressures. It is clear that new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon would benefit from the stability of the re-signing.
Packers Far More Likely to Re-Sign Quay Walker After League’s Latest Cap Update
According to Spotrac, Walker is projected to garner a deal around $8 million. This is a very reasonable total for a proven tackler. Green Bay now have more wiggle room to re-sign the Georgia product without being in over their heads on a player that is still a frustration at times. Walker's downfall is the inability to hold up in coverage with any level of consistency. This is the one piece of the defender's game that both keeps him within Green Bay's price range and remains a clear frustration.
Still, it makes sense after the cap raise to retain Walker in hopes of continuing to utilize his ability to attack the run and chase plays. If the projected total is correct, this is now well within Green Bay's comfort zone and sets Walker up for a return.
Overall, this should give the Packers a far brighter offseason outlook, not only retaining their own key pieces but finding ways to add impact players in free agency. Bringing back Walker is just one increased possibility after the news that should brighten the offseason projections for a franchise badly in need of a win.