The Green Bay Packers have a young roster, and having a surplus of draft capital has been one of the best and most efficient weapons utilized by general manager Brian Gutekunst.

The only aspect that's not so positive about having so many young pieces is that eventually several of them will finish their rookie contracts at the same time, forcing the front office to make some tough decisions, since it's impossible to extend everyone.

The first offseason of tough choices will be in 2026. Because the Packers got so many starters from the 2022 draft class, impactful pieces are entering the final year of their deals.

In 2025, at least 10 players will have a decisive year for their futures with the Packers — and ultimately, in the NFL.

Christian Watson/Romeo Doubs

Watson and Doubs have been important parts of the offense, but it's unclear if their roles are worth significant veteran extensions. The Packers prepared themselves to be without them, since they have Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks for at least one extra year, and also drafted Matthew Golden and Savion Williams this year.

Of the two, Watson is probably the one whose extension would make more sense, because he brings a deep threat element that is hard to replicate. At the same time, he hasn't consistently produced in the NFL and is recovering from a major knee injury, which is expected to sideline him for the start of the regular season.

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Rasheed Walker/Sean Rhyan

We did not put Zach Tom on this list because, presumably, he will get an extension. However, there are two other starting offensive linemen from the 2022 class, left tackle Rasheed Walker and right guard Sean Rhyan. Part of the decision to re-sign them or not depends on how well the Packers draft investments in the offensive line over the past two years pan out.

If Jordan Morgan and Anthony Belton show the capability to fill those two spots in the short/mid-term, the Packers would be much more comfortable allowing Walker and Rhyan to leave.

It's a tough decision especially for Walker, who is a good, young player from a valuable position. At the same time, that means he will be expensive.

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Malik Willis

Willis wasn't a Packers draft pick, but he was also selected in 2022 and therefore is entering the final year of his deal. Green Bay acquired the backup quarterback for a seventh-round pick last year, and he played at a really good level when Jordan Love needed to get out because of multiple injuries throughout the season.

The most likely scenario is that the Packers will allow Willis to play out his contract and test the market, potentially getting some starting opportunity elsewhere. And if he doesn't get it, the Packers would likely be able to achieve an extension based on the backup QB market.

Green Bay could try to reach an extension this offseason to make sure it will have a solid backup for the future, but it's hard to put a price on Willis right now — and the quarterback himself would fairly want an opportunity to at least compete for a starting job, something he won't do with the Packers.

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Kingsley Enagbare

Enagbare outproduced what you generally expect from a fifth-round edge defender, although he's not anything close to a star player. He is a solid rotational piece, and was even a starter at different points of his tenure in Green Bay.

This year, the Packers will start Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness, but Enagbare will still have a decent number of snaps if he stays healthy. A rotational edge rusher doesn't bring a prohibitive cost attached to him, but it's also easier to replace — and the Packers are potentially trying to do it with Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver.

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Matthew Orzech

The long snapper signed a three-year contract with the Packers back in 2023, so now it's a contract year for the veteran as well. This isn't a big question, because long snapper contracts are low. If he plays fairly well, the Packers can easily re-sign him after the season.

While Orzech hasn't been one of the top players at his position, he brought some level of consistency to the Packers, and the team appears to be satisfied with the continuity on special teams, alongside punter Daniel Whelan and kicker Brandon McManus.

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Brenton Cox

Cox finished last season on a high note, making the most out of his chances after the Packers traded Preston Smith away at the deadline. A former undrafted player, Cox will be a restricted free agent next offseason, so the Packers could still have some level of control over him.

The rights of first refusal tender is projected to be $3.453 million — it goes up to $5.658 million for the second-round tender and $7.893 million for the first-round tender. Cox's performance this year will dictate which tender the Packers will want to apply, or if they will just allow him to hit the open market — potentially trying to re-sign him for less, just like they did this year with tight end John FitzPatrick.

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Elgton Jenkins/Kenny Clark

These are the two players who are not entering the final year of their current deals, but might very well be on their seasons for the Packers. Jenkins has two years left on his deal, and Clark has three after signing an extension last offseason.

The offensive lineman is moving to center and wants a revised deal. Right now, his salary is slated to jump from $12.8 million in 2025 to $20 million in 2026, which is pretty expensive for a center. And if he doesn't get future guarantees, Jenkins will have to play at a pretty high level to justify his earnings.

Meanwhile, Clark had an underwhelming season in 2024 — possibly, because of an injury he played though. This year, the defensive tackle has to show it wasn't a real regression, since he is set to make $21.5 million in 2026, with a heavy $31.365 million cap hit. By releasing or trading him, the Packers would save $14.35 million against the cap.

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