USAT: Packers Wire audio clip

USAT: Packers Wire

Feb 2, 2022

Understanding the Green Bay Packers’ needs and offseason plans first requires knowing where the roster stands exiting the 2021 season and entering 2022. - Going through position by position helps paint a clear picture of what GM Brian Gutekunst is facing this offseason, both from a personnel and salary cap standpoint. - Here’s our breakdown of the Packers’ roster at the outside linebacker/edge rusher position, with players under contract for 2022, free agents, early thoughts on the position group and a unique cap perspective from Ken Ingalls, a CPA who studies the salary cap: - Roster analysis - Under contract (6): Preston Smith, Za’Darius Smith, Rashan Gary, Jonathan Garvin, Tipa Galeai, Ladarius Hamilton - Free agents (3): Whitney Mercilus, Chauncey Rivers (exclusive rights), Randy Ramsey (exclusive rights) - Early thoughts: The team’s plans for Preston and Za’Darius Smith will define the position group this offseason. Neither is expected back at their current 2022 price tag, but re-working both deals (or just one) is a real option. In the event both depart, the team would need to re-invest more resources to help Gary, who emerged as a star in his third season. The Packers have three young backups worth developing under contract. - Ken’s cap perspective - - The edge rusher group is going to be one of change in 2022. Za’Darius Smith is scheduled to have the second-highest cap hit on the team at $27.7 million and has probably played his last snaps as a Green Bay Packer. The team would gain $15.3 million by cutting him. There is a chance for a Hail Mary type pay cut or extension but given his $12.4 million dead cap this seems like a fairytale. Preston Smith was at risk to be cut before 2021 but took a $4 million pay cut and contract restructure to stick around. The Packers have several options with his fifth-highest cap hit of $19.7 million, including cutting Preston to save $12.5 million. I think Preston is a prime extension candidate which could save the Packers $6-8 million on the salary cap along the way to pair with Rashan Gary for a few years. Trading either Smith Brother is almost out of the question, again because they would have to carry their massive cap hits past the March 16th cap deadline. - Jonathan Garvin, Tipa Galeai and Ladarius Hamilton have been rotational players behind the Smiths and Gary and the Packers must hope somebody makes a real jump for 2022 with at least one of the Smiths departing. The Packers could try to restructure $1.4 million of cap space out of Gary but he would likely leverage against this for an extension instead; however, with the fifth-year option likely being exercised the Packers are in no rush to extend him. Garvin is the only player under contract beyond the 2022 season and I expect the Packers to make edge a priority in the draft, especially if both Smiths are gone. - - List - - Full list of Green Bay Packers free agents for 2022 offseason - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Email - - - - - Sign up - - - - - - - - Like this article? - Sign up for the Packers Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning - - - - An error has occured - - - Please re-enter your email address. - - - - - - Thanks for signing up! - - - You'll now receive the top Packers Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.

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