Packers: Five major players who could be playing their final snaps

Preston Smith

At some point in the offseason, Green Bay is going to need to free up cap room. That will likely mean Brian Gutekunst has to make some difficult decisions.

Preston Smith‘s second year with the Packers hasn’t matched his first, and as a result the team might decide to move on in the offseason.

A reduced salary cap due to the pandemic will be major reason why. If it’s reduced, the cap will be significantly lower than the Packers would’ve expected when they signed Smith two years ago.

After making 12 sacks in his debut season with the Packers, Smith managed just a third of that total this year. He also had just 11 quarterback hits compared to 23 a season ago.

Smith’s performances did improve down the stretch and he was making an impact even when it didn’t show up on the stat sheet. However, with the emergence of first-round pick Rashan Gary, the Packers may decide to free up some cap room by moving on from Smith.

According to Over The Cap, Green Bay could make an $8 million cap saving by releasing Smith.

It’s not a move anyone will want to see, but given the cap situation, Gutekunst will have to make these kind of tough decisions.