5 potential cap casualties for Packers with reduced 2021 salary cap

Rick Wagner

Rick Wagner is the likely starter at right tackle for the Packers this season after signing with the team earlier this offseason. He’s yet to even play a snap for the Packers, but he could be a cap casualty next year.

Wagner will be 31 years old next offseason, which is still young enough to be a quality starter at tackle, but he is set for a cap hit of $6 million in 2021. The Packers need to find a way to pay David Bakhtiari, who will be a free agent next year. One way to do that is to free up cap room.

There are no obvious replacements for Wagner at right tackle, which would mean the Packers would possibly need to address the position in the draft or sign a veteran to an affordable one-year deal. It was a surprising decision that Green Bay didn’t draft a tackle earlier this offseason with the future in mind given Wagner’s age.

If the Packers were to move on from Wagner next offseason, they’d free up $4.25 million in cap room. Unless Wagner has a great first season in Green Bay, this is the type of move Gutekunst could have no choice but to make.