While the Green Bay Packers looked like genuine Super Bowl contenders for much of the 2025 NFL campaign, it's no secret that the final five weeks were an absolute disaster.
After dropping their final four games of the regular season, the first of which included Micah Parsons' season-ending ACL tear, Green Bay blew a 15-point lead over the final 15 minutes of its wild-card battle with the rival Chicago Bears, taking a 31-27 loss after surrendering 25 points in the fourth quarter.
After spending the early part of their offseason wondering whether to keep head coach Matt LaFleur, which they obviously did, and searching for a replacement for defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, ultimately landing on Jonathan Gannon, the Packers' primary focus now is on how to improve the roster, which could look quite different, as Green Bay has nearly 25 players set to enter some form of free agency, a list that includes several starters.
If the Packers want to re-sign any of them or bring in some external help, they'll need to move some money around (which they will), as they're currently projected to be roughly $1.586 million over the 2026 cap figure. Another way to create cap space, of course, is by making some cuts, and Green Bay certainly has several options on that front.
The Athletic lists Elgton Jenkins and Rashan Gary as potential cut candidates for the Packers
The Athletic recently compiled a lengthy list of cut candidates, with each team's beat reporter being asked to name one high-profile potential salary cap casualty. Packers insider Matt Schneidman took things a step further by being one of only two to offer up a pair of options, choosing center Elgton Jenkins and edge rusher Rashan Gary. For those wondering, the San Francisco 49ers were the only other team with two players listed.
Here's what Schneidman had to say:
"Jenkins turned 30 in December and is coming off a significant Week 10 injury that ended his season, which ESPN first reported to be a lower leg fracture. He switched from left guard to center before the season and improved after a rough start, but the Packers would free up about $19.5 million in cap space by releasing him, according to Over The Cap.
"Another cut candidate is defensive end Rashan Gary, who has a 2026 base salary of $18 million. Cutting him after he went missing in the second half of the season would free up about $11 million in cap space."
Jenkins was likely to be released even if he hadn't gotten injured, as that relationship was already turning sour, given his initial feelings about being shifted to center after Green Bay signed Aaron Banks to a lucrative contract last offseason to replace him at left guard.
As mentioned, the Packers would create roughly $19.5 million of cap space by cutting the two-time Pro Bowler, $19,529,412, to be exact. They would take on $4.8 million in dead money, but this seems like a forgone conclusion at this point.
As for Gary, that gets a little trickier, as the Packers may not want to part ways with the former first-rounder if Parsons isn't ready to go by Week 1.
Now, from an overall standpoint, the Michigan alum has been a solid player for Green Bay over the past seven years, racking up 271 total tackles, 46 tackles for loss, seven forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries, six passes defended, 111 QB hits, and 46.5 sacks.
But Gary is being paid like a perennial All-Pro, not a guy that's made one Pro Bowl, as his 2026 cap hit is $28,021,135, according to Over The Cap, and will increase to $31,021,138 in 2027.
The best option for Green Bay would be to find a trade partner willing to take on that salary, so they could at least get some draft capital in return. But if the Packers do opt to cut him, it'd likely be as a post-June 1 designation, as they could then spread the $17,042,273 dead money hit over two years. A post-June 1 designation also creates more cap room, as the roughly $11 million Schneidman mentioned would turn into $19.5 million this year, although it's very important to note that they couldn't use that money until June 2.
Now, we just wait to see how things play out in Titletown in the coming weeks and months.