4 contracts holding the Green Bay Packers back right now

2. Preston Smith

The topic of Preston Smith holding the Green Bay Packers back in any way is probably a pretty controversial one, but on the field, I think he does anything but hold this team back.

Smith is a proven veteran off the edge, someone who gives you a high floor at a key position, and also someone who has now played in a lot of big games. He's got the type of experience that a young roster like Green Bay's has definitely needed, but for how much longer?

The Packers have 2023 first-round pick Lukas Van Ness waiting in the wings to take a more prominent role on the opposite side of the field from Rashan Gary. Smith's cap figure of $16.5 million is the fifth-highest on Green Bay's roster right now, but the team wouldn't save all that much by cutting him right away.

That is, of course, unless they made him a post-June 1 designation. They could actually save $12.4 million in cap space if they make Smith a post-June 1 cut, they just wouldn't be able to see those savings until after June 1.

Because of their roster situation behind Smith on the depth chart, I wouldn't be surprised if that's the avenue the Packers go down. Smith should be able to draw interest elsewhere around the league, but he'll be 32 this season and you'd obviously like to move on from aging players a year early as opposed to a year late.

Perhaps the Packers' 2023 season and how competitive they proved to be will change their decision-making with a player like Smith, but his contract may need to be addressed one way or the other.