Packers have big roster calls approaching, and one contract detail is quietly forcing the team to address them this week
It’s a big week for the Packers’ front office.
The legal tampering period kicks off on Monday, and the new league year starts on Wednesday, so this will inevitably be an intense week in the NFL world. However, beyond the usual activity, the Green Bay Packers have some tough decisions to make — and they can’t delay them.
On Friday, the third day of the league day, the Packers have seven players with contract triggers. That means this is time to decide if they will be on the roster moving forward or not — and it will make less sense to move on from them after that.
Right tackle Zach Tom, left guard Aaron Banks, cornerback Nate Hobbs, linebacker Isaiah McDuffie, and kicker Brandon McManus all have roster bonuses due on Friday. And if the Packers pay it, that amount will unavoidably hit the salary cap. Additionally, the remaining $3.107 million of Micah Parsons’ 2027 salary becomes guaranteed.
And let’s be clear about it: Parsons and Tom ($3 million bonus) aren’t going anywhere. The actual decisions to be made involve the other players — especially Nate Hobbs, signed in free agency last offseason. Aaron Banks was also a question mark, but the Packers restructured his contract to lower his 2026 cap hit, meaning that he will stay around.
“With losing five games in a row, I don’t know if we’ve made any decisions on anybody yet,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said during his end-of-the-season press conference. “But those guys are under contract, so I would expect them back.”
A big March 13 for the Packers
The Packers usually give players significant roster bonuses in March in Year 2. That avoids a scenario where the amount is fully guaranteed from the get go, but it gives the player some level of security — he will most likely earn it, or he can go back to the market early in free agency again.
Aaron Banks has a $9.5 million roster bonus, more than half of his $18.1 million earning set for 2026, plus a $7.7 million base salary. With a simple restructure without adding void years, the Packers still cleared up $10.65 million in cap space.
Nate Hobbs has a $6.25 million roster bonus, a significant part of his $9.05 million earnings. The bonuses are lower for kicker Brandon McManus ($1 million) and off-ball linebacker Isaiah McDuffie ($750k), so the team can realistically keep them around for now and make a definitive decision later with little impact.
Another alternative for the Packers regarding all of these players, except Parsons for this topic, is to convert their roster bonuses into signing bonuses, prorating the impact of the earnings on the salary cap and creating cap space in 2026.
This is a key week for the Packers and these players, and the move (or lack thereof) will be telling about what Green Bay actually thinks.
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