Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said he was confident he wouldn’t need to gut his team to work around the financial challenges involved with the shrinking salary cap in 2021.
Gutting the roster is one thing. Trimming it down is an inevitability. The Packers need to shed salary cap space before the start of the new league year, and cuts of veteran players will almost certainly play a part in the process.
For the purpose of this exercise, we considered quarterback Aaron Rodgers, left tackle David Bakhtiari, receiver Davante Adams, defensive lineman Kenny Clark and safety Adrian Amos as uncuttable. Cornerback Jaire Alexander, outside linebacker Rashan Gary, safety Darnell Savage, quarterback Jordan Love, offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins and running back A.J. Dillon are core players that have no logical or functional reason for release.
That leaves the following players as potential cap casualties (capable of saving $1 million or more on the cap in 2021) for the Packers this offseason:
OLB Preston Smith
(AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
PFF grade in 2020: 53.1 Cap hit in 2021: $16,000,000 Salary cap savings (pre June 1): $8,000,000 Salary cap savings (post June 1): $12,000,000 Dead cap: $8,000,000 (pre June 1), $ 4,000,000 in both 2021, 2022 (post June 1) Likelihood: High
LB Christian Kirksey
AP Photo/Jim Mone
PFF grade in 2020: 48.5 Cap hit in 2021: $7,609,375 Salary cap savings (pre June 1): $5,609,375 Salary cap savings (post June 1): $5,609,375 Dead cap: $2,000,000 (pre and post June 1) Likelihood: High
OT Rick Wagner
AP Photo/Sam Craft
PFF grade in 2020: 78.2 Cap hit in 2021: $6,000,000 Salary cap savings (pre June 1): $4,250,000 Salary cap savings (post June 1): $4,250,000 Dead cap: $1,750,000 (pre and post June 1) Likelihood: Moderate
DL Dean Lowry
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
PFF grade in 2020: 60.0 Cap hit in 2021: $6,300,000 Salary cap savings (pre June 1): $3,300,000 Salary cap savings (post June 1): $4.800,000 Dead cap: $3,000,000 (pre June 1), $1,500,000 in both 2021 and 2022 (post June 1) Likelihood: High
WR Devin Funchess
Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images
PFF grade in 2020: N/A (opted out) Cap hit in 2021: $2,265,625 Salary cap savings (pre June 1): $1,265,625 Salary cap savings (post June 1): $1,265,625 Dead cap: $1,000,000 (pre and post June 1) Likelihood: Moderate
OT Billy Turner
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
PFF grade in 2020: 70.5 Cap hit in 2021: $8,406,250 Salary cap savings (pre June 1): $3,906,250 Salary cap savings (post June 1): $6,156,250 Dead cap: $4,500,000 (pre June 1), $2,250,000 in both 2021 and 2022 (post June 1) Likelihood: Low
K Mason Crosby
AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps
PFF grade in 2020: 75.4 Cap hit in 2021: $4,500,000 Salary cap savings (pre June 1): $2,500,000 Salary cap savings (post June 1): $3,500,000 Dead cap: $2,000,000 (pre June 1), $1,000,000 in both 2021 and 2022 (post June 1) Likelihood: Low
CB Josh Jackson
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
PFF grade in 2020: 52.0 Cap hit in 2021: $1,990,577 Salary cap savings (pre June 1): $1,333,104 Salary cap savings (post June 1): $1,333,104 Dead cap: $657,473 (pre and post June 1) Likelihood: Moderate
OL Lucas Patrick
AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn
PFF grade in 2020: 66.9 Cap hit in 2021: $2,066,668 Salary cap savings (pre June 1): $1,950,000 Salary cap savings (post June 1): $1,950,000 Dead cap: $116,668 (pre and post June 1) Likelihood: Low
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
PFF grade in 2020: 60.6 Cap hit in 2021: $2,237,389 Salary cap savings (pre June 1): $2,183,000 Salary cap savings (post June 1): $2,183,000 Dead cap: $54,389 (pre and post June 1) Likelihood: Low
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