It's a clear sign that training camp is almost here. The Green Bay Packers love to get contract extensions finalized before camp begins.
A week after handing linebacker Isaiah McDuffie an extension, the Green Bay Packers have signed defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt to a new deal. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, it's a three-year, $57 million extension with a $20 million signing bonus.
It's somewhat surprising to see the Packers making another extension before Tucker Kraft gets his payday, but handing Wyatt a new deal tells us a lot about the team's plans along the defensive line moving forward.
Devonte Wyatt extension is a clear sign in the Packers' confidence along the defensive line
Before both players got hurt last season, almost all of the Packers' pass rush came from Wyatt and Micah Parsons.
Wyatt is one of the best pass-rushing interior linemen in the league. Per Pro Football Focus, he had a pass-rush win rate of 12.9 percent last season, ranking 15th at the position. In 10 games, Wyatt recorded four sacks, seven quarterback hits, and six tackles for loss.
Green Bay has invested heavily in strengthening the interior positions this offseason, signing former Pro Bowler Javon Hargrave in free agency and drafting Chris McClellan in the third round. It raised some questions about Wyatt's long-term future, given he was entering a contract season on the fifth-year option.
The Packers have emphatically answered that question with this new deal. It shows they have confidence that Wyatt is a long-term piece on defense, and not a player set to get replaced by McClellan next year.
Between Wyatt, Hargrave, and McClellan, the Packers have multiple ways to get after the quarterback from the interior positions. That's exactly the type of investment the team needed to ensure Parsons isn't forced to do it alone.
The real question is about Wyatt's run defense, which hasn't lived up to the same standard as his pass-rush production. Injuries have also been an issue over the past two seasons, with Wyatt missing 10 games in that time. There's undoubtedly some risk to making a big-money move.
How the deal is structured will tell us a lot about how much of a commitment it is. Can the Packers get out of the contract after one year, two years? Time will tell.
But the extension tells us the Packers have high confidence in Wyatt. He was already under contract via the fifth-year option, so they didn't need to make a deal this early. They could've waited for the season to start, or even later. Moving early is the clearest sign the Packers want him to stick around long-term.
The Packers have reinforced their defensive line this offseason. Wyatt's extension is the final piece.
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