Report: Packers will release De'Vondre Campbell to create significant cap space

As expected, the Green Bay Packers are moving on from veteran inside linebacker De'Vondre Campbell.

According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Packers will release Campbell at the start of the new league year on Wednesday, a move that has a significant salary cap impact.

Silverstein notes that the Packers will wait until Wednesday to use the post-June 1 designation, which will create more cap space in 2024 and allow the team to be active in the opening week of free agency.

This decision will have an impact on the Packers' offseason.

Packers make significant salary cap savings by releasing De'Vondre Campbell

The decision to make Campbell a post-June 1 release is somewhat surprising, but it will benefit the Packers in the short term.

Impact of De'Vondre Campbell release on Packers salary cap

• Cap savings: $10.57 million
• Dead money in 2024: $3.66 million
• Dead money in 2025: $7.97 million

Releasing Campbell before that date would have created only $2.6 million this offseason, with Green Bay taking on an $11.63 million dead cap hit. The benefit is Campbell's contract would've come off the books in 2025. By making it a post-June 1 cut, Green Bay will only pay $3.66 million this year but will eat $7.97 million in dead money in 2025.

It indicates that the Packers want to make moves in free agency. Using the post-June 1 designation clears more cap space in the short term, allowing for more flexibility when searching for veteran additions in the weeks ahead.

Beyond just the cap impact, releasing Campbell also creates a greater need at linebacker. Switching to a 4-3 defense means Green Bay will have three starting linebackers when in base. Without Campbell, the Packers lack depth at the position and will need to add multiple linebackers in the offseason.

The Packers needed to create more cap space, and releasing Campbell is one of the biggest moves they could've made.

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