The Green Bay Packers needed to make decisions on six restricted free agents before the start of the new league year.
Tight end Robert Tonyan, cornerback Chandon Sullivan, defensive lineman Tyler Lancaster, safety Raven Greene, quarterback Tim Boyle and cornerback Parry Nickerson were all restricted free agents.
Note: Restricted free agents are players with three accrued seasons and an expiring contract. Teams can either issue a tender – at four different compensation levels – or let the player become an unrestricted free agent.
The Packers decided to tender two players and let four others become unrestricted free agents.
Tonyan received the second-round tender, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal. Sullivan received the right of first refusal tender, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.
The second-round tender for Tonyan will cost the Packers around $3.3 million in 2021, while the right of first refusal tender for Sullivan will tack on another $2.1 million. Both tenders are one-year deals.
According to Ken Ingalls, issuing the two tenders will cost $4.2 million on the team’s cap under the top-51 cap rule of the offseason.
Both players are able to sign offer sheets with other teams. If Tonyan signs an offer sheet and the Packers don’t match the contract, he’d depart in exchange for a second-round pick. If the same scenario happens with Sullivan, the Packers would get nothing.
GM Brian Gutekunst is taking a risk with both players. He’s hoping the salary and draft pick compensation is enough to keep teams away from Tonyan, who caught 11 touchdown passes last season, and he’s banking on the salary being high enough to deter teams from signing Sullivan, the team’s starter in the slot last season.
Lancaster, Boyle, Greene and Nickerson will all become unrestricted free agents by the start of the new league year on Wednesday.
Lancaster and Greene, two role players on defense, could still return on deals closer to the league minimum for players with three years of experience. Boyle, the team’s backup quarterback over the last two seasons, will likely depart for a better opportunity. Nickerson was claimed off of waivers last August but played in just one game before going on season-ending injured reserve.
The Packers also issued exclusive rights tenders to receivers Allen Lazard and Malik Taylor, outside linebacker Randy Ramsey and offensive tackle Yosh Nijman.
[listicle id=56689]