Packers Do The Expected By Creating Cap Relief
The Packers do some max-void year restructures and water is wet.
In a widely expected move, the Packers generated cap space by using max-void year restructures on Jaire Alexander (good for $9.456M) and Preston Smith ($6.668M) to free up a total of $16.123M in additional cap space. Those moves, along with the max-void year restructure coupled with a $5M pay cut for Aaron Jones that generated $11.816M in cap savings, puts the Packers under the 2023 new league year salary cap limit. The team is only under the new salary cap limit by $5.5M or so, or just under $2M after the Packers issue a second-round tender to restricted free agent Yosh Nijman, another widely expected move.
Looking back at my last article, Packers Salary Cap in 2023 If Rodgers Were Traded, I listed the possible amounts the Packers could save using maximum restructures. I listed Jones with a savings of $11.216M (it turned out to be $11.816M with the pay cut), Alexander with $9.456M (which came to fruition) and Preston Smith with $6.668M, which is what the team just wrung from his contract. Here is the rest of that table:
| Player | Amount | ~ | Player | Amount |
| Bakhtiari | $12.028M | Gary | $3.025M~ | |
| Clark | $11.068M | Campbell | $2.628M | |
| Douglas | $3.336M | O'Donnell | $0.548M |
Maximum contract adjustments involving those 6 players could total $32.623M more in cap relief. [Gary is an estimate based on a contract extension instead of playing on his 5th-year option - I suppose the Packers could get a few million more if necessary and if Gary is cooperative as to his cash flow.] There are ways to generate more cap savings, but they all would involve pay cuts or parting ways with the player in question. There will be no evidence of what the Packers' brain trust is thinking until the Packers adjust one or more of these contracts in a way that yields a significantly different number than I have noted in the table above.
The Packers eventually will need $5M or so for an in-season piggy bank, $3.456M for the PS, $1.5M for the 52nd and 53rd player contracts, perhaps $500K for practice squad elevations, a couple of hundred thousand for game active bonuses that might actually get earned, $3.907M (per Overthecap) to sign their draft picks, and $3.558M ($4.3M minus $750K) to tender Nijman at the 2nd-round level, and $849K in offseason workout charges. That totals $19.17M. Since the team is currently in the black by almost $5.5M, the Packers need to find $13.67M more in cap savings, give or take. Under that scenario, the Packers would have options as to which contracts to adjust and by how much since they can generate $32.623M (some $18.95M more than the $13.67M they need to find) by restructuring those 6 players' contracts in the table above. But wait, there's more!
Trading Aaron Rodgers decreases cap space by $9.44M ($8.69M plus $750K). Moreover, the Packers presumably would receive a first-round pick, perhaps the 7th pick or the 13th pick. OTC suggests the 7th picks' cap number will be $4.84M for 2023 while the 13th pick would cost $3.348M. If the Packers were so fortunate as to also receive a second-round pick, pick 38 costs about $1.7M and pick 44 costs about $1.5M as estimated by Overthecap. I cannot exactly quantify the cap ramifications of trading Rodgers, but a rough estimate might be $9.44M plus $3.5M to $6M for the draft picks, so around $13M to $15M? Of course, perhaps the Packers receive just a second round pick this year and some conditional picks in 2024. There isn't as much point to trading Rodgers if the team cannot sign the draft pick compensation.
Trading Rodgers would reduce flexibility tremendously, though just in the short term. For example, it might make it extremely difficult and perhaps impossible to trade Bakhtiari. The Packers would save $5.7M on the cap by trading or releasing Bakhtiari, which is about $6.3M less than the table envisions in cap relief from his contract. Trading him would make things tight, and if they got a first or second round pick for him, it would be difficult to sign that draft pick. Perhaps the Packers could find a team willing to wait until June 2nd, and if Bakhtiari wanted out if Rodgers is traded, perhaps he would agree to wait for his roster bonus until June as well. [I think the Packers want to keep Bakhtiari at present, though depending on how things go, they might consider trading him at prior to the trade deadline in 2023 or wait until 2024, hoping his knee holds up and he turns in an outstanding season.]
But wait, there's more!
As Ken Ingalls notes, the Packers have a number of free agents, and they played a lot of snaps. Here is Ken's list with snaps (O/D/STs):
| Player | Snaps | ^ | Player | Snaps | ^ | Player | Snaps |
| Amos | 973/111 | Lewis | 451/68 | Hollins | 128/8 | ||
| Lazard | 863 | Ford | 442/108 | Wilson | 35/197 | ||
| Cobb | 371/7 | Ballentine | 17/106 | ||||
| Reed | 705/81 | Nixon | 289/231 | Leavitt | 0/308 | ||
| Tonyan | 591/3 | Davis | 174/346 | Crosby | 0/142 | ||
| Lowry | 482/18 | Barnes | 141/25 | TOTAL | 5,662/1,759 |
It looks like the Packers will be able to retain Rich Bisaccia as ST coordinator, so it would be nice to hold on to the players he used the most on special teams. Leavitt, Wilson, Davis, Nixon and Ford all will cost more than the bottom seven players on the roster who make $750K each. Nixon's cap number is likely to be $2.5M to $5M if he returns to the Packers. The other four players are all veterans with minimums over $1M, so they probably would eat perhaps $1.5M in cap space if they all return.
The Packers are unlikely to rely solely on Clark, Wyatt and Slaton on the defensive line. I don't know if they want Reed back, but I suspect they would like to have someone similar if he is not available. Hollins also was interesting and useful, and might get a raise. I suspect that Barnes will be allowed to leave because McDuffie looked at least as good.
I have no idea how the Packers evaluate Lazard, Tonyan, Amos, Lewis, Cobb, or Reed while also being unsure of their market value. If the Packers trade Rodgers and get a high first round pick back this year, the team probably lacks the cap space for more than a couple of these players, and even then it would be the lower paid players.
If the Rodgers plays for the Packers in 2023, the Packers if they choose to clear as much cap space as possible could re-sign some but not all of their free agents, or bring in some outside free agents. Until Rodgers decides whether he wants to play at all, and until the Packers, probably with input from Rodgers, decide where he is going to play, fans will just have to wait.
For now, expect more restructures, and for the maximum possible in salary cap savings.
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Comments (59)
Johnblood27
February 27, 2023 at 12:15 am
Is that the sound of toe on aluminum I hear?
Yup, it is...
Whoop it up Packers, the bill ain't due yet...
Thanks for explaining the cap gymnastics and options TGR, your contributions here at CHTV are fantastic!
Thegreatreynoldo
February 27, 2023 at 12:56 am
As indicated in my last article (linked above), the Packers figure to have about $19M to spend if Rodgers plays in GB and $10M or so if he is traded. I forgot in that article to include the cost of signing any draft picks GB gets from such a trade.
In a case where the Packers got Pick 7 or 13, for example, $10M minus $4.8M/$3.4M would leave $5.2M/$6.4M to spend. GB could sign Leavitt, Hollins, Wilson, Tyler Davis and perhaps Rudy Ford. [I didn't think as much of Ford as a defensive player as some others and view him as emergency only as a safety, so I am not thinking he gets much money.] The team could sign Marcedes Lewis, and perhaps one of Nixon or Tonyan. Probably done at that point. IDK, I think signing a proven rotational defensive lineman would be my priority, somebody like Jarran Reed but who hopefully has a better year than Reed had in GB. I read that the team is talking to Lazard, but I don't see how his return is particularly possible unless his market collapses, and I don't see why that would occur.
There is more cap space if AR plays for GB in 2023 (or if he retires), but I've made no secret that I think the long-term detriment ($68M in dead money even if it is split $22M in 2024 and $45M in 2025) exceeds the likely benefits of the value of his play in 2023. If AR plays in GB in 2023, it would not surprise me to see the Packers not restructure Clark or at least push less money into 2024 and beyond.
Coldworld
February 27, 2023 at 08:22 am
If we don’t get out of this now, the consequences will be long lasting. If our leadership hasn’t made that decision. Finally snd all this is is a hoped for PR gift from Rodgers wanting to retire or leave them that pretty much tells us that the other issues won’t get solved either. The reality is that Rodgers isn’t carrying this roster and coaching staff anywhere worthwhile. Him being here just makes almost impossible that anyone else can fit quite a while and also hides and this shelters the likes of LaFleur, Barry and so on.
There is one out and no excuse for not taking it, whatever Rodgers wants. This team is not going to be competitive this year regardless. Throwing more into that joke will just prevent it from being so in the near future. If ever there was a time to get off the tracks it’s now. Let Love play with youth a year, learn with it and be able to start building in 2024/5.
You are the unfortunate bearer of these tidings to those who don’t want to see them, as they want to treat last year as an aberration off field and on. That’s unfortunate, but critically valuable. Reality doesn’t go away and this one has been coming at us not from just one but many directions.
Leatherhead
February 27, 2023 at 11:00 am
"This team is not going to be competitive this year regardless"
I'm not so sure about that.
First, we had the best defense in the division last year, by quite a bit, and we'll get Stokes and Gary back, plus you'd hope that maybe Quay and Wyatt would be improved in their second season. We're going to need a starter at safety, but this could be a better than average defense.
Second, I'm starting to see the offense we could put on the field next year.
Love at QB, Jones/Dillon at RB. That's half our offense, right there. We're returning five capable starters on the offensive line, six if you count Nijman. We could draft a very good WR, and a very good TE. We could strengthen the line and improve the depth.
IMO, the Packers could be a much better team than the one that misfired last season. I expect us to contend for the division.
LambeauPlain
February 27, 2023 at 11:30 am
The "best defense" in a division of poor defense is akin to asking Mrs. Lincoln "but how did you enjoy the play"?
17th overall and 26th vs the run for a D with 7 first rounders and some very talented FAs who were "coached down" by Barry Ball is a glass half full and leaking.
Barry Ball has failed on every team it has been tried. MLF has anchored himself to Barry as McCarthy did with Capers.
Leatherhead
February 27, 2023 at 01:06 pm
Yeah, this is just hot air. Two of those first rounders were on the injured list. Two more were rookies. We're ranked low against the run because we'd rather give up the yards on the ground than the air. On the stat that matters most, points, we're average. And no, it's not akin to the assassination of the President. You do realize that KC and the Packers are pretty similar on defense, don't you?
One more time: We gave up 371 points in 17 games. 14 of those were garbage time points against Minnesota, which would have put us at 357 and raised our ranking from 17 to 13. Two fewer TDs....over 17 games....would have put us at #6 in scoring defense.
It's a lot of fun throwing verbal garbage at Joe Barry, especially if you don't care about being fair or accurate.
LLCHESTY
February 27, 2023 at 05:53 pm
A Barry led defense has not finished in the top half of the league in DVOA. He's not good. Period end of story.
LLCHESTY
February 27, 2023 at 06:05 pm
There are no long lasting salary cap consequences if a team doesn't want there to be. Look at what the Bears shed in one year. If the Saints would have cleaned house the year after Brees retired they'd be fine now but they tried to keep it going with a lesser QB. You can get out from under everything in two years if you're willing to take the pain.
Now if a team wanted to get rid of Watson or Wilson a year or two later that's a different story.
Thegreatreynoldo
February 28, 2023 at 12:17 am
Precisely.
When Brees retired, NO could have gotten out of cap hell in a season, with a small hangover in season two. But it required a rebuild, and NO refused. They signed QBs like Winston Jameis, extended others while pushing out cap hits and went 8-9 last year. NO actually remained a tough out.
Teams can cure their cap in two seasons with most of the pain being in the first season.
Leatherhead
February 27, 2023 at 09:33 am
Thank you for this burning bag of dogcrap on the front porch before I've even finished breakfast. Just when I was 1000% convinced Rodgers is gone, you have to point out that it's going to cost us $9 million to get rid of him.
For $9 million, we pave the way for Love, who might be pretty good. We get some premium draft picks in compensation. For some, there is the plus of being done with all the drama, but there's a loud voice in the back of my mind that's starting to scream and it's saying "It's crazy to pay $9 million to get rid of him".
So.....you can't keep this guy as a backup, IMO. I think that keeping Rodgers, at this point, would be a franchise disaster that is well worth $9 million to avoid.
I'm fine with it. Let's roll. Call the Jets.
croatpackfan
February 27, 2023 at 11:05 am
TGR, as I understand cap, if ACR will play he will earn 58.something or 59.something mill $. Is that truth? If it is, I remember one rule for SC - what you pay you have to cap it! Isn't it? Or my memory trick me?
Thegreatreynoldo
February 28, 2023 at 12:23 am
Your mind is a steel trap (that means your memory is excellent if the idiomatic phrase doesn't translate).
GB is scheduled to pay AR $59M in cash and they plan to account for $14.575M of the $59M on the cap, pushing the other $45M into the future.
Some of the old prorations would fall off the accounting (for example, GB paid AR $40M in cash last year for 2022 and accounted for $8.16M, so that would fall off, and then some of the prorations from 2020 also fall off so his dead goes from $40.3M if traded in the next two weeks to $68M if he plays for GB in 2023.
LLCHESTY
February 27, 2023 at 07:12 pm
Thorough job as always TGR. I've heard a couple different people on the radio saying the Packers might have to get NBA inventive with a June 1st trade of Rodgers, like telling a team who to pick and then including them later. Pretty sure it hasn't been done before but I could see that happening at some point with the way teams are shuffling the deck these days. But isn't the Packers 2024 cap already under some pressure? It seems like if it's doable to trade him and take the hit this year that might be the way to go.
For the record I think he stays,mainly because I'm not sure the men in charge have the will to make the tough decisions.
croatpackfan
February 27, 2023 at 01:31 am
Thanks TGR.
What you wrote in this article is what I was afraid will happen after they signed that stupid and unnecessary huge contract with ACR.
When you consider how many dead money they would have this season (if they trade or cut ACR) and in the future if they don't part ways with ACR I understand why they play that underdog game with him. They need him to take pay cut or restructure contract pushing more dead money in the future, so they'll need to be true draft and develop team. I believe that would make their SB window more prolonged and less we can expect that Packers will win it all for the foreseeable future.
Finally, it looks like ACR will get what he wanted. To be the last Packers QB with ring for a long time in the future. He wanted that and he got it. And he made Packers irrelevant for more time that any of us want.
Aaaaa, sh*t!
EDIT: Whatever they got in possible trade this season they may trade down to reduce cap hit of draft class, as the money for later rounds will be less.
Lphill
February 27, 2023 at 05:19 am
maybe look at the contracts for Cousins and Wilson .
croatpackfan
February 27, 2023 at 05:46 am
I really do not care what other franchises do. Their bad, not my problem (as Packers problems are not, too, but I'm fan so I care!)!
If sombody do something stupid that does not mean I have to do the same (or worse), If somebody is criminal, that does not mean I have to be. If somebody do something smart and positive, I would look and try to see if I can learn something good from his doing.
TarynsEyes
February 27, 2023 at 09:33 am
"I really do not care what other franchises do."
The other franchises help set and reset the market, and a huge reason why the QBs, like Rodgers' got the deals they get. Whether to keep or take one away from another team. Watch how Lamar cripples Balt either by staying or leaving because of fully guaranteed money. Thanks to f'ing Cleveland and Watson. This genie does not go back in the bottle.
croatpackfan
February 27, 2023 at 10:37 am
Yeah, of course in closed groups there is the influence on each activity one to the whole group. But when you have 53 players (plus 10 on PS) you have to care about what team as whole is capable of bearing. And, as I wrote, if somebody else make stupid or idiotic thing, why do you think it is justified to do the same?
If you are not able to afford mansion house, why you'll go and buy it? And than complain when that brought you poverty or financial distress.
Many of posters here claimed that it was not ACR request for that huge contract. Why they, than, offered him it? Is not that stupidity? Or, after all it comes out to light that huge contract was actually the ACR demand to stay with Packers after Davante Adams was traded?
The post you just posted is basically defending indefensible, contrary to your previous posts on the subject. The only way to pull out of that mess is to trade or cut ACR and swallow your losses. Same as you'll get if he retire...
TarynsEyes
February 27, 2023 at 01:21 pm
I did not like the contract, I was fine with moving on from Rodgers before he got it, even though I did not like the drafting of Love. I do not put all the blame on Rodgers, and I do not blame the FO entirely either. I simply thought the team needed a new look, direction, as the current one failed too often.
The contract Arizona gave Hopkins opened the same door for WR's as has been opened for the QB's, and one reason why Adams isn't in GB.
The NFL is a near completely QB oriented league and why a FO will buy the mansion they can't afford, and with that, the quality of the furniture falls.
One thing to ponder, the money many players get isn't because of deserves, it's more because the League/Owners make more. Wanting a bigger piece of the money pie doesn't mean the players deserve it, and the Owners shouldn't have to simply give it to them. Those who do aren't as huge a group, it's though to be. The changes in how the game is played is already making many a player/position undeserving of the money being asked for. Theo more that is disallowed, makes high paychecks difficult, unless the fans remain willing to pay and pay and pay, for flag football.
Rodgers has earned the money he made. Sure, you think the last deal was excessive, but I'm sure after back-to-back MVP's, you and others wanted to keep him, which means pay him, still yelled he was the GOAT, and scream after a less than average season the opposite.
I remember saying not to redo Matthews, and vehemently saying not to redo Perry, before they got new deals. What were you saying about them. A strong reason why I was so disliked here at CHTV, and I don't recall many thinking the same. I also remember saying, trade Rodgers and whatever draft picks for Lawrence when he was coming out, and would have said the same for Burrow, because Rodgers isn't Brady, and MM or MLF aren't Bellichik and the FO isn't Kraft.
Everybody cheered Rodgers' ego for a long time. Now you want to cancel it, ignore it, cowardly. Cancel culture will make many, rue the day, and it may not be far off. I see no real benefit if Rodgers stays or goes team success wise, less/more money saved. Money can't buy everything, but most times it buys you nothing, and is the most denied thing.
T7Steve
February 27, 2023 at 01:51 pm
"The NFL is a near completely QB oriented league and why a FO will buy the mansion they can't afford, and with that, the quality of the furniture falls."
I've been trying to come up with an analogy all day for this, and between you and Crote, you nailed it. Him with the house and you with the furniture. Now, if we could get the Packers working on the same page like that.....
croatpackfan
February 27, 2023 at 02:02 pm
After his fail in 5 NFCCG 5 times after he won SB plus 5 postseason games (WCG 3× and DRG 2×) in the last 12 seasons I do not know who would expect that he will win SB with any team in the future.
He is in obvious decline and hoping he is not is fools hope. So, I really do not see the reason why to offer him that huge contract if he wasn't asked for.
Yes, you were for ACR trade in the past, and I believe you are still for that option, but Vikings were first who signed QB on full guaranteed money (Kirk Cousins). Browns are 2nd in the row and now Lamar Jackson wants the same. Would you suggests that should be normal way of business or you suggest something else. I'm against that way of doing business. You should be paid for your actual production, not for past one. For past production you already consumed your contract. So, some money should guaranteed, but at least 60% should be conditional - on production. I am sure that kind of contract can be constructed to protect employer and employee.
TarynsEyes
February 27, 2023 at 04:32 pm
"You should be paid for your actual production, not for past one."
How do you know what to pay for what hasn't been produced, yet?
You're always paying for what a player has done, the problem is overpaying for what he hasn't done. That is why fully guaranteed contracts are bad, period. And now, not doing them can be just as bad for the team because you lose your star QB, if he really is.
You know what Rodgers' has done and likely what he can still do. Love is still nothing more than a big question mark. The FO, if they believed fully in Love, even after sitting the first year, should have walked away from Rodgers then, they didn't, but chose to put their ball sack in a vice with Rodgers' hand on the turning pin. They apparently still don't know about Love enough to tell Rodgers' to try and turn that vice pin because they aren't afraid of a little pain (salary cap pain). Which is funny, because pain is what they must deal with regardless.
croatpackfan
February 28, 2023 at 04:27 am
For past production you already consumed your contract. So, some money should be guaranteed, but at least 60% should be conditional - on production. I am sure that kind of contract can be constructed to protect employer and employee.
That is what I wrote in my previous post!
croatpackfan
February 27, 2023 at 04:40 pm
"Sure, you think the last deal was excessive, but I'm sure after back-to-back MVP's, you and others wanted to keep him, which means pay him, still yelled he was the GOAT, and scream after a less than average season the opposite."
Oh, how wrong you are. After that report at the start of the 2021 draft I was, maybe the first, who wrote here that I would grant him the wish. At that moment. I would call all teams on the draft evening of the 1st round to find who is interested and under what price. And I would trade him.
From the moment he took the podium at the beginning of the start of TC I was the one who insisted to trade him. And I do not changed my mind. Ask Swish and Since'61. We were debating about that. From that moment he was not Packers any more, at least for me and few others.
And, what is more interesting I was one who was very often upvote your posts, I was one who did not see Packers at SB, because ACR is in decline. He is very aware of that. Because of that my opinion is that he justntalk about his greatness and finding excuses for his fails. I doubt that he had broken thumb. I'm medicaly educated person and I know that with slightlx broken bone (hairline fracture) it hurts like hell, Periost is very sensitive and produce top 5 pain when is broken.
I wish him well, just want him to move himself from the organization that made him player he was last 15 years. His decline might be in conection with his injuries (broken clavicula bones in both sholder) as I know that repaired tissue is never the same as original.
You do not know sh*t about me, so please do not call me coward. I'm not the one. I build my life alone and against all odds. I had help and those who helped me will always have my gratitude.
I agree with you that money can buy you nothing, if behind money there is not person with honesty and humility. I also lives in different culture than you and many of posters here. I, do not try to change your way of living. I resoect that way. But I also respect my way about you do not know nothing. And with that I do not said that to make you worse. I just stated the fact. After all, why would you know anything about culture of nation that has less than 4,000,000 people. I'm not offended. But I do not call you coward or stupid because of that. I will call idiot idiot and stupid stupid, but first I would have to see that one makes idiotic or stupid acts or thoughts.
When I'm wrong, I admit. In this case I'm certain that I'm not wrong. And many of you will soon find out that.
Thank you.
Coldworld
February 27, 2023 at 08:27 am
So it’s ok because others are in similar positions? Comfort in misery and irrelevance? Alternatively just take the out while there still is one.
If some teams make these deals and the result is not good in hindsight, teams that didn’t will reap the rewards and other owners/GMs will learn and refuse. That’s just how it works. I’ve already seen us held up as a caution against such approaches.
I don’t want the Packers to be one of the text book examples of how to cripple your own franchise. We could well become that. We aren’t doing it with a young QB, we are doing it with one who will be 40. There no time to rebalance here if it fails and we are starting from a position of no cap as well.
Iain
February 27, 2023 at 02:07 am
Until Rodgers decides whether he wants to play at all, and until the Packers, probably with input from Rodgers, decide where he is going to play, fans will just have to wait.
You nailed it there, TGR.
Great work as usual.
stockholder
February 27, 2023 at 06:27 am
Rodgers isn't going anywhere.
The trade market has dried up.
The Coaching staff is staying home.
So expect a Stokes Myers draft again.
I say again; because we know the better players,
we're passed over for NEED/Fit.
So Goodbye BPA.
1. Amos or Savage Replacement.
Getting Locked in on safety is the mistake.
2. TE- Tonyan, Lewis and Davis.
Drafting a TE in the second rd. another.
It pushes the edge down.
Forgetting you never have enough rushers.
3. The DL-
The fact that he has had the worst DL
in the NFL. Since being GM.
Shows he isn't into winning games in the trench.
So I expect another poor draft.
The Point. - I'll buy what I need.
And fill the roster with the waiver wire.
Getting the last of TTs players off the team.
What needs to happen.
If you want the best players.
You must control the draft.!!!
Much like the surprises last year.
Being predictable doesn't work.
jurp
February 27, 2023 at 08:14 am
Feeling pretty crappy, today, stockholder, so not up to translating for you; fortunately, you remembered (mostly) how to write in English, so no translation needed. Your analytical skills still need work, though.
You may want to consider that "TTs [sic] players" are all pretty old now and should probably NOT be on the team any longer; they also cost more than younger players. Since only Rodgers is having any kind of impact on the team, Gutekunst is just doing his job in (I hope) allowing them to walk. Additionally, when your team is in cap hell through no fault of your own, you have no choice but to fill the roster from the waiver wire. There's no magic "cap tree" from which Gutekunst can draw cash from.
Coldworld
February 27, 2023 at 08:34 am
Last year is looking like a very a good draft to the extent one can judge at this point. In one sense that maybe a bad thing as it encourages some to think that we will draft as well every year but also to assume that those rookies will carry us despite years of cap disadvantage and inflexibility.
If Rodgers doesn’t have the sense to retire or want out, we need to remove the option. He may come to thank us, we won’t enjoy the alternative.
jannesbjornson
February 27, 2023 at 08:57 am
Move 2024 picks into this draft to secure Players. Player Trades? It is Always a Need Draft in Packertown. Reload. Get the best OT to set the right flank. I would re-sign Reed and go 4-2 looks. Move Douglas to safety and keep Rudy Ford. They're stuck with their Savage deal. FA @WR. Kincaid takes WR targets. Add Durham and Mallory and you have a receiving group of TEs from the New Offenses. Big Bad Bill had Gronk and Hernandez grind down max zone schemes. I would like another Edge guy. 34 sacks in 2022. No SB 4 U.
#15 Jones Georgia OT
( #1 + #5 2024 to LAR)
#36 Uzomah K-State Edge
#45 Kincaid Utah TE
( #78 to #81 pu #182)
#81 Benton Badgers DT
( #116 pu #136, 172)
#136 Trice Purdue CB
#151 Cox FL State Edge
#154 Eric Gray OKL RB
#171 R Wright OR State CB
#172 Durham Purdue TE
#182 Mallory Miami TE
#225 Izien Rutgers S
#234 TJ Bass Oregon OG
#244 Nichols C Mich RB
#256 Higgins Stanford WR
stockholder
February 27, 2023 at 09:48 am
I would only take a OL if they trade BAHK.
Need to trade down - get picks!
Love your #36 pick.
Kincaid is the #1 Te now. Rd !.
116 - 171 is TE range if not wr.
Your draft needs a safety earlier.
With 35 roster spots open - trade down.
Using your draft - Kincaid TE is #1
Uzomah -Edge #2. - Benton DT #3
stockholder
February 27, 2023 at 09:57 am
Robinson-RB
Kincaid- TE
Robinson -S
Tyler Scott -Wr
Latu - TE
stockholder
February 27, 2023 at 10:19 am
Gute's draft - Bet me!
PFF simulator=
#15 Brian Branch S Al.
#45 Dalton Kincaid TE Utah
#78 Jamie Robinson S. FS
#116 Tyler Scott. WR Cinn
#151 Cameron Latu. TE AL
#171 Andrei Losivas WR Princeton
#234 Hunter Luepke. FB. ND st.
#237 Jose Ramirez. Edge E. MI
#244 Kaevon Merriweather S Iowa
#256 Zack Kuntz. TE. Old Dom.
#259 Aubrey Miller jr. LB Jack st.
tincada
February 27, 2023 at 10:54 am
Let's see, you have 3 TEs and 2 WRs. And just when will his highness practice with those newbies?
stockholder
February 27, 2023 at 11:21 am
He Doesn't - Because these guys are the future.
Kuntz replaces Lewis= back-up
Latu replaces Davis.= back-up
Kincaid Starts- if Tonyan doesn't sign.
Scott - replaces Lazard - I say Lazard wants out.
Gutey is Not going to help Rodgers w/weapons.
Losivas - Roster Depth
The future is about picks 116- Back.
jannesbjornson
February 27, 2023 at 11:54 am
Branch at #15 would admit he made a mistake with Savage, He won't go there.
stockholder
February 27, 2023 at 02:25 pm
Wrong - Branch would replace Amos.
Most of his production came from
near the LOS.
Also I'm taking Kincaid off my list.
Word is he's not going to the combine.
I suspect; he's afraid of the drug testing.
jannesbjornson
February 27, 2023 at 11:37 am
I don't know if anybody watched the right flank get consistently ass-kicked by good defensive lines and Edge people. If you want your guy back at QB, he will need Max protection. Bhak stays at his deal. They will refi him at some point this week. I would generally trade down, but Jones is the best guy at #15. He is usually gone in previous SIMs. This board fell with most of my CBs and the few WRs gone. Not wasting a one pick on a safety.
If Kincaid and Mayer go in the first, I would target Tucker Kraft in rd two. The name of the game is secure MORE picks in rd two. For the fourth year in a row , it is the money round. If Jones is gone @ #15, there would be a temptation to snag Uzomah at that position. I have him as the best Edge guy. His brother is the TE for the Jets. I like Benton as the 3 tech disruptor inside. No more two DLs getting doubled up.
LLCHESTY
February 27, 2023 at 06:00 pm
Did your English teacher let you have a pillow when you slept through the class? Holy trainwreck Batman.
egbertsouse
February 27, 2023 at 06:47 am
Puttin’ the band back together. Same old, same old. I wish they’d learn a new tune.
jurp
February 27, 2023 at 08:09 am
I agree; this one's sounding like a funeral dirge.
PatrickGB
February 27, 2023 at 09:02 am
So, even with these moves, it looks like we are still in Cap hell.
stockholder
February 27, 2023 at 09:13 am
Packers need to fill 35 roster spots
Trade Down.
Coldworld
February 27, 2023 at 09:28 am
Not talent but numbers. The perfect recipe for success.
Leatherhead
February 27, 2023 at 02:30 pm
What would your definition of Cap Hell be?
It looks to me like we're going to be able to keep most of the guys we'd want to keep. We're not cutting anybody because we can't afford to keep them.
If you mean, "We're not going to have a bunch of money to pursue shiny free agents,", I'd agree. If you mean "We aren't going to be able to compete because of our cap", then I'm not so sure.
Thegreatreynoldo
February 28, 2023 at 12:53 am
Yes and no. If AR gets traded:
Lazard: Most teams would like to have a Lazard on their team. And GB in particular would like to keep him. Whether he gets $12M AAV or the $9.5M AAV a good #3 WR is worth is actually irrelevant since GB can't afford him in either scenario. Suggesting that he is overpriced (even if it turns out to be true) is sidestepping the issue - GB can't easily afford him. If they sign Lazard, that might make most of the other UFAs cap casualties.
Tonyan: Someone will want him. Same as to his price. GB probably will be able to afford him, but if they re-sign Tonyan they have to let others walk.
Amos: I think he lost a step or a step and a half, so GB doesn't want him back. So he fits the narrative of keeping those they want to keep. But if the team's starters are Savage and Ford, it is going to be a long year. No question in my mind that the FO would sign a veteran safety if they had any money, but they don't. This stresses the draft and might skew selections depending on how the draft falls for GB.
Reed/Lowry: GB might not want Lowry back, and Reed was the underwhelming player I thought he would be, but he probably was worth $3M. No way can a 3-4 team can enter a season with just Clark, Wyatt and Slaton. [Slayton is on the PS, but then, so was Heflin until GB decided he was terrible.] They need 5 DL who can actually perform on the field without being giant liabilities. If they had any money, they'd sign someone who can soak up some snaps and draft a DL fairly high. But they have no money. More stress on the draft, and possible skewing of the selection process as they think need more than best player on the board.
Nixon: I agree as fun as it was to have a returner, if his market is 2 years and $12M, that isn't happening unless the team thinks he can give them 500 decent defensive snaps. Cap casualty.
Ford: Like to have him back? I am not sure. I have a low opinion of him as a safety. Pretty good ST player. We shall see what his market is, but make no mistake, GB has no money so he has to be sub $2M, maybe sub $1.5M.
Hollins: I'd love to have him back. Depends on his market. I think he flashed, but were those flashes enough for someone to give him more than $2M and some guaranteed money? IDK. Possible cap casualty.
Crosby: Does GB want him back? If so, at what price? IDK. He is a reliable field goal kicker. If Crosby wants to play another year, some team will pay him a modest amount, perhaps $2M to $2.5M. Sad to say it, but $2.5M in cash would be hard for GB. It would be another messed up contract, probably with 4 void years.
Lewis: I think his blocking while still good was a little more inconsistent. GB gave him $2 years, $8M in 2021. He'd have to agree to sub $2M. And still the minimum with a bunch of void years.
Leavitt: He is a good bet. His cap number on a veteran's qualified contract was the maximum of $1.2M. Leavitt will cost $450K to $500K more than a rookie. I don't think GB is quite that hard up, enough to try to save half a million, but we shall see.
Finally, a generalization: There is no way in hell GB would enter the season with Watson, Doubs and Toure as the starting receivers. If they had ANY space they sign a veteran or trade for one. Ditto for DL. Ditto for safety. Arguably ditto for TE. If they know Gary has had a setback in his rehab, ditto for OLB.
Coldworld
February 28, 2023 at 08:50 am
And in your closing paragraph is the truth that should caution against those who claim that we will be better. Yes, some young players will hopefully improve, but other positions are going to get weaker this year for the reasons you just very clearly laid out. Rodgers simply doesn’t make sense with this cap and roster, we have to move on. Bite the bullet and face reality. That means going younger and cheaper and looking to next year and beyond while Love gets experience.
coolhand
February 27, 2023 at 11:18 am
Of all the free agents we have, I would only want to resign Lazard, but I don't see that happening. He will want MVS money and by giving AR his huge deal we have no cap space. Nixon should be a priority as well and likely one we can resign. I would expect a restructure on Bakh now if at all possible.
Fubared
February 27, 2023 at 12:52 pm
CObb will be back and Amos too because they will come cheap and cheap is the modus operandi of the packers.
Thegreatreynoldo
February 28, 2023 at 01:26 am
Can't pay $6M AAV for a kick returner. Much better ways to spend that money than on Nixon, as fun as he was to watch.
LambeauPlain
February 27, 2023 at 11:38 am
My expectations for this offseason have not been as low since the last year of Sherman's 4-12 ending.
However we did have a new coach coming in who got a hold of Favre's takeover of the O and his sandlot game. And the 8-8 season that followed exceeded expectations.
Hoping for my expectation to be exceeded in 2023 too. Until then, still hoping a declining team can rise.
Leatherhead
February 27, 2023 at 11:46 am
The Packers always bounce back from down seasons. 2005 was 4 wins and 2007 was the Championship game. 2008 was 6 wins and 2010 was the Super Bowl. 2017 and 2018 were sub.500 seasons followed by two trips to the Championship game.
Where do I expect us to be in 2024?
Heyward
February 27, 2023 at 11:59 am
The Packers just keep kicking the can down the road. Meanwhile, Murphy will be retired when the shit really hits the fan.
Fubared
February 27, 2023 at 12:50 pm
SInce the day they drafted Gary - reminded me of Perry, one from Michigan and the other played at mich, both were professional at going missing in games and having lots of little nick and bruse injuries missing big games.
Thus, I figured Gary will not re sign or extend but play his option out and go for DA BIG MONEY elsewhere just like Perry.
dobber
February 27, 2023 at 02:44 pm
" I figured Gary will not re sign or extend but play his option out and go for DA BIG MONEY elsewhere just like Perry."
Go read about Perry and learn something about how that transpired before holding it up like this.
How stupid can you look?
Thegreatreynoldo
February 28, 2023 at 01:27 am
He isn't a packer fan.
dobber
February 28, 2023 at 05:59 am
I know...but sometimes you gotta say something.
Leatherhead
February 27, 2023 at 02:32 pm
Perry went elsewhere for the big money?
Also, I've watched Perry, and I've watched Gary, and Gary is a better player than Perry, IMO.
flackcatcher
March 02, 2023 at 01:38 pm
Nice explain TGR. The real pain will be worse no matter how Rodger's tenure ends here in Green Bay. What we can hope is the pain is brief, depending what kind of rebuild the front office embarks on.