3 ways Packers can save cap room without losing Aaron Rodgers
How can the Packers save cap space without trading Aaron Rodgers?
By now, you will know the Green Bay Packers‘ salary cap situation is, let’s say, not ideal.
With a projected -$40.08 million in cap room for 2022, according to Over The Cap, the Packers have the league’s second-lowest amount of room to work with. Only the New Orleans Saints (-$74.06 million) are in a worse position.
The Packers’ biggest potential cap saving would come with Rodgers being traded. In that scenario, Green Bay would create $19.82 million. That would go a long way to fixing their salary cap mess, but it also means losing an MVP quarterback.
So, what if Rodgers commits to playing for the Packers in 2022? How can the team create cap space?
To help with this article, I’ve used Over The Cap’s numbers.
Extend Aaron Rodgers’ contract
Rodgers said postgame last week that he doesn’t want “to be part of a rebuild”, which is understandable. He wants to win now. If Green Bay enters a rebuilding stage, it wouldn’t make much sense for him to return.
So if Rodgers does play for the Packers in 2022, we can assume Brian Gutekunst and Russ Ball commit to the present and find creative ways to push money into future years and go all in.
One way would be to work on an extension with Rodgers. Currently, the reigning MVP only has one year left after reworking his deal last offseason. An extension would effectively end the Jordan Love era before it even started, but it would give a commitment to Rodgers for as long as he keeps playing.
Importantly from a cap perspective, it would allow the Packers to bring his 2022 cap hit down dramatically from the $46.66 million figure it’s currently at.
For the Packers to go all in, they need the cap space to re-sign Davante Adams, De’Vondre Campbell, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and others, while also being active in free agency. An extension with Rodgers would help.
Release one (or both) of the Smith Bros.
Unfortunately, it won’t be possible to bring everyone back. The Packers have no choice but to move on from some important players before replacing them in the offseason.
Two players who could have played their final snaps in Green Bay are the Smith Bros. — Za’Darius and Preston.
This would be no easy decision. Za’Darius Smith only played two games in the 2021 season but, when healthy, he’s one of the top pass rushers in football. Preston Smith is coming off a strong season with 9.5 sacks.
Here’s the issue for the Packers: Za’Darius Smith’s cap hit is set to be $27.67 million. Preston Smith’s is $19.75 million. Releasing Z would save $15.28 million, while cutting Preston would create $12.5 million. Moving on from both would save the Packers $27.78 million.
With the emergence of Rashan Gary, Green Bay could build the pass rush around him while looking for cheaper options at the position.
Extend or release Randall Cobb
Randall Cobb will forever be a Packers legend, and there’s little doubt that if Rodgers returns, he’ll want one of his all-time favorite targets to be there too.
However, Cobb’s cap hit for 2022 is $9.64 million. Releasing him would save $6.86 million. That’s a significant amount to save for a player who had zero catches in the most important game of the season.
But if Cobb returning was important to Rodgers and the team, extending his contract could also work. It would require pushing money into future years, something that would make the eventual rebuild even tougher, but it could help reduce Cobb’s 2022 cap hit.
Gutekunst and Ball have an even tougher offseason ahead than the last. One option will be to start a rebuild, move on from Rodgers, and work towards a healthier cap situation for 2023.
But if Rodgers wants to remain in Green Bay, the alternative is to find creative ways to go all-in, sacrificing future years but making one last push for a Super Bowl.