Packers cap expert reveals why multiple key free agents are as good as gone

An important date has passed in the Green Bay Packers' offseason, potentially revealing the team's plans with free agents Keisean Nixon, Darnell Savage, and Yosh Nijman.

Green Bay previously added void years to their contracts, which saved cap space at the time by pushing it into future years. Those deals voided on February 19. Instead of the dead cap hits being spread out over multiple years, they accelerate into 2024.

Why is this significant?

The Packers could've avoided taking on a significant dead cap hit by re-signing Nixon, Savage, and Nijman before the deadline. A contract extension would've allowed Green Bay to spread the dead cap hits across the length of the contract.

Packers cap expert explains why key free agents could be gone

Nixon, Savage, and Nijman are free agents this offseason. If Green Bay planned to re-sign any of them, doing it before February 19 made the most sense, as it would have prevented the void year hits from accelerating into 2024. Packers salary cap expert Ken Ingalls explained it perfectly.

The Packers can still re-sign Nixon, Savage, and Nijman. They don't hit free agency until the beginning of the new league year on March 13. But it makes no sense for Green Bay to re-sign them after the deadline because it means taking on the additional cap charges. If the plan was to bring them back, figuring out a deal earlier would've made the most sense.

Green Bay's offseason moves a year ago back that up. Last February, the Packers had six free agents with voiding contracts. They didn't re-sign any of them.

They may still decide to bring back Nixon, Savage, or Nijman in free agency, but allowing their contracts to void and accelerating the dead cap hits makes it seem unlikely.

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