5 moves that could save Packers $35 million in cap space in 2024

1. Release or trade David Bakhtiari

Cap savings: $20.9 million

The Packers' biggest cap saving could come from David Bakhtiari's contract. The five-time All-Pro has a cap hit of approximately $40 million in 2024, the final year of his deal. Figuring out a way to lower that number is priority number one for the Packers at the beginning of the new league year.

While it would be incredible to watch Bakhtiari get healthy and return to Green Bay, it just doesn't seem realistic. Of all the possible ways to reduce his cap hit, moving on makes the most sense.

Releasing or trading Bakhtiari would create the same amount of cap space. Green Bay could look for a trade partner—perhaps Aaron Rodgers' New York Jets—to at least bring back some draft capital. But if other teams know the Packers are moving on, regardless, Gutekunst may have no other choice but to release Bakhtiari.

The Packers would still pay a dead cap hit of $19.07 million, but there's no avoiding it. Green Bay will have to take on a significant hit this year, regardless of Bakhtiari's future. But that's a far better scenario than paying more than double that number.

Bakhtiari is a future Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer, but he may have played his final snap in the green and gold.

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