Packers: 5 players who could surprisingly still be cut

1. Lucas Patrick

Lucas Patrick was phenomenal at guard for the Packers last season so this would be a genuine surprise. And a mistake, in my opinion. But, it wouldn’t be the most surprising move the team has made in recent years and there are a couple of reasons why it could be possible.

For starters, Patrick’s contract is up at the end of the season, and he’ll be 28. Re-signing him next offseason could be pricey and the team has invested a number of draft picks at the interior offensive line positions in recent years. With Elgton Jenkins, Jon Runyan, Billy Turner, Royce Newman, Ben Braden, and Cole Van Lanen all on the roster, there would be plenty of competition.

In terms of the salary cap, the Packers would be left with a dead cap hit of only $116,668 if they released Patrick, according to Spotrac. It’s a move that would save them almost $2 million.

Would I release Patrick? Absolutely not. He is coming off a great season and ranked sixth among guards in ESPN’s pass block win rate metric. He’s also an experienced player who can be trusted to start each week and not make many mistakes.

But if the Packers’ young guards impress over the summer, moving on from Patrick with only a year remaining on his deal would have to be considered a possibility.