Packers have a path to meaningful cap relief, but Brian Gutekunst faces test with limited resources to upgrade the roster
It’s time for our Packers mailbag.
It’s a huge week for the Green Bay Packers, but it might not actually be that huge. The legal tampering period opens next Monday, the new league year starts a week after this article is published, so moves will happen all around the NFL.
But with limited resources in terms of cap space and draft capital, general manager Brian Gutekunst will have to be creative to improve the roster.
Ahead of those intriguing decisions, let’s do a Packers mailbag to discuss the biggest topics around Green Bay.
There isn’t much wiggle room for the Packers to create cap room by extending players, but the one exception is defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt. Because he’s on his fifth-year option, the entire number ($12.938 million) hits at once, so a long-term extension would easily lower the 2026 cap hit. Now, the question is if the Packers want to extend Wyatt, who’s a little bit old for a second-contract player and hasn’t had more than half the snaps in any season throughout his career. I’d say a three-year incentive-heavy extension could make sense for both sides, even though the Packers tend to prefer four-year extensions for their young players.
The Packers are in a spot with their offensive line where a lot of options have to be on the table. The first thing is acquiring talent when possible. Free agency tends to be dangerous for offensive linemen, but the draft and even trades should be realistic possibilities to add depth. Starting there, the coaching staff can cross-train these players who don’t have job security and find out the so-called best five. Theoretically, though, I do think Anthony Belton is better at guard than at tackle, while Jordan Morgan is clearly a better tackle.
He might double down on the offensive line, defensive line, and cornerbacks all at the same time this year. However, the one I’ll be shocked if he doesn’t add is offensive line. With the Packers losing Rasheed Walker and Sean Rhyan in free agency, plus probably cutting Elgton Jenkins, depth is an obvious concern. But the top of the group is a concern too with question marks at center and right guard — well, left guard too if you consider Aaron Banks should get cut in 2027. They need a lot of bodies, and Brian Gutekunst has already drafted three linemen in the same class four times in his tenure as a GM.
If Sean Rhyan doesn’t get expensive in free agency, I’d want him back as a swing interior offensive linemen, but ideally he isn’t the starting center. Cade Mays from the Carolina Panthers is the most cost-effective option on the market, and his combination of size and athletic ability fit what the Packers want to build upfront.
To me, it’s what tools the Packers will use to improve the roster. The team doesn’t have a first-round pick and, after two years of comfort, the cap situation isn’t great anymore. So Brian Gutekunst will have to be more creative and effective with his limited resources.
Outside of the washed punt returner in July part, I agree.
If we’re talking about training camp, I’d say 95%. Brandon McManus is going to have competition for the job, as Lukas Havrisik is already on the 90-man roster, but the Packers don’t need to cut him because of one bad game. If he doesn’t recover from that bad game, though, he might not make the 53-man roster.
The short answer is no. For Elgton Jenkins, I don’t expect any market because it makes more sense for him to get cut and choose his next destination instead of taking a paycut to facilitate a trade — it’s exactly what happened to Jaire Alexander last year. For Gary, it’s possible that a desperate team will accept sending some draft compensation for his current contract, but it wouldn’t be more than a fourth- or fifth-round pick.
I’d say this is true, but not necessarily early in free agency. The Packers will most likely wait until the market settles down, then make a mover or two for less expensive players.
Defensive tackle. Cornerback is rich on Day 2 in the draft, and it’s hard to sign good long-term offensive linemen in free agency — and I know I’m talking with both sides of my mouth because I suggested Cade Mays as a center option. But if I had only one option, it would be a mid-level defensive tackle, because I know it’s a harder problem to solve in the draft.
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