Understanding the Green Bay Packers’ needs and offseason plans first requires knowing where the roster stands exiting the 2021 season and entering 2022.
Going through position by position helps paint a clear picture of what GM Brian Gutekunst is facing this offseason, both from a personnel and salary cap standpoint.
Here’s our breakdown of the Packers’ roster at the outside linebacker/edge rusher position, with players under contract for 2022, free agents, early thoughts on the position group and a unique cap perspective from Ken Ingalls, a CPA who studies the salary cap:
Roster analysis
Under contract (6): Preston Smith, Za’Darius Smith, Rashan Gary, Jonathan Garvin, Tipa Galeai, Ladarius Hamilton
Free agents (3): Whitney Mercilus, Chauncey Rivers (exclusive rights), Randy Ramsey (exclusive rights)
Early thoughts: The team’s plans for Preston and Za’Darius Smith will define the position group this offseason. Neither is expected back at their current 2022 price tag, but re-working both deals (or just one) is a real option. In the event both depart, the team would need to re-invest more resources to help Gary, who emerged as a star in his third season. The Packers have three young backups worth developing under contract.
Ken’s cap perspective
The edge rusher group is going to be one of change in 2022. Za’Darius Smith is scheduled to have the second-highest cap hit on the team at $27.7 million and has probably played his last snaps as a Green Bay Packer. The team would gain $15.3 million by cutting him. There is a chance for a Hail Mary type pay cut or extension but given his $12.4 million dead cap this seems like a fairytale. Preston Smith was at risk to be cut before 2021 but took a $4 million pay cut and contract restructure to stick around. The Packers have several options with his fifth-highest cap hit of $19.7 million, including cutting Preston to save $12.5 million. I think Preston is a prime extension candidate which could save the Packers $6-8 million on the salary cap along the way to pair with Rashan Gary for a few years. Trading either Smith Brother is almost out of the question, again because they would have to carry their massive cap hits past the March 16th cap deadline.
Jonathan Garvin, Tipa Galeai and Ladarius Hamilton have been rotational players behind the Smiths and Gary and the Packers must hope somebody makes a real jump for 2022 with at least one of the Smiths departing. The Packers could try to restructure $1.4 million of cap space out of Gary but he would likely leverage against this for an extension instead; however, with the fifth-year option likely being exercised the Packers are in no rush to extend him. Garvin is the only player under contract beyond the 2022 season and I expect the Packers to make edge a priority in the draft, especially if both Smiths are gone.
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