The Green Bay Packers have fallen well short of expectations in the 2022 NFL season, fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive after entering Week 1 with one of the highest Super Bowl odds. After taking the all-in approach, Green Bay could be forced into hitting the reset button this spring.
It comes after the franchise placed a massive bet on Aaron Rodgers and several high-end veteran starters. Green Bay made its four-time NFL MVP the highest-paid quarterback in history, sacrificing its long-term financial flexibility to try and bring another Lombardi Trophy back to Lambeau Field.
While the Packers still have a shot at making the NFL playoffs if multiple scenarios unfold in their favor, few believe this team even has a realistic chance of making a deep run if they make it in. It has put the spotlight on the future, with a 2023 offseason that could bring drastic changes.
- Green Bay Packers 2023 salary cap: $3.368 million
NFL insider Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports shared on the You Pod to Win the Game podcast that he believes there is a really good chance the Packers overhaul their roster this offseason.
“Watch Green Bay. There’s a really good chance, if you just go down that roster and look at the players that are all like 30 or older, a lot of them carry a pretty heavy cap hit…I think there’s a chance that Green Bay presses the button, says on a number of these veterans we’re not going to do this, we’re gonna have to move on.”
Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson on Green Bay Packers’ 2023 offseason outlook
Considering the team has less than $5 million in projected 2023 cap space, per Over The Cap, it will make addressing needs far more difficult for general manager Brian Gutekunst. Green Bay’s only way to change that is by cutting ties with players who are getting into their 30s and might not be worth their cap hits in the eyes of the front office.
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Evaluating Green Bay Packers’ roster decisions in 2023
There are plenty of familiar names who the Packers might seriously consider either trading or cutting in 2023. While Elgton Jenkins and Jaire Alexander have signed extensions, preserving long-term impact players on both sides of the ball, others might be on their way out.
While left tackle David Bakhtiari still plays at an elite level when healthy, he has only played in 101 total games since he suffered a torn ACL at the end of the 2020 regular season. Green Bay can’t justify his $29.06 million cap hit next year. While a contract restructure is possible, designating Bakthari as a post-June 1 cut or trade player would create $17.5 million in cap space.
Meanwhile, Adrian Amos is another option to be ruled a post-June 1 cut candidate. If Green Bay follows through on that move, releasing the veteran safety would free up $5.692 million in cap space. In that scenario, the Packers could either spend a top-50 pick on a safety or might consider moving Rasul Douglas to the position.
There is one additional name to consider, which would change the Packers’ offense moving forward. Aaron Jones currently has a $20.3 million cap hit for the 2023 season, a figure no team would likely be comfortable with for a running back who isn’t a perennial All-Pro selection.
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Trading Jones would free up $10.461 million in cap space if it’s done pre-June 1. If he receives the post-June 1 designation, $16 million comes off the Packers’ books next year.
AJ Dillon is emerging as a viable starting running back and Green Bay could find a complementary all-purpose back in the 2023 NFL Draft. As for Bakhtiari’s potential replacement, Yosuah Nijman is a restricted free agent and the added cap space could be used to sign him and play him at left tackle in 2023.
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