The next few days will be fascinating for the Green Bay Packers. With the league’s new year starting in just a few days, the Packers are still trying to reach below the $ 182.5 million salary cap and have yet to make decisions on several important issues that could define this off-season.
As of Friday morning, the Packers were still about $ 9.4 million over the limit.
Here’s what we still don’t know as the Packers approach the start of the 2021 championship on Wednesday:
– Aaron Rodgers: Packers have an easy way to create a substantial amount of space for the cover, but they haven’t used it. Extending or restructuring the Rodgers business could put Packers below the threshold immediately. And it would have to play a big role in opening up the Packers with enough space to be free agency buyers. He is the NFL MVP and wants to stay in Green Bay for a long time. The Packers are just hesitant to add a lot of money to their cap successes in the years to come, which could hinder the transition to Jordan Love? This remains the most complex and important off-season decision.
– Preston Smith: Its $ 16 million limit reached in 2021 is a huge burden for a team that needs limit space, especially after its sharp downturn in production in 2020. Releasing it would instantly create $ 8 million of space, making Smith a key player. in assembling this boundary puzzle before Wednesday. Do the Packers think they can change it after the new league year begins? It is possible that the team is trying to make a nice pay cut, but a launch still looks like the most likely outcome. At this point, it is surprising that he is still on the list.
– Davante Adams: Is an extension coming? Your business is only a year away, and your limit reached in 2021 could be reduced significantly with a well-structured extension. Clock is ticking. It is possible that this extension is too complicated to be done before the start of the new year of the league. Adams’ last deal turned out to be a real bargain. This one? It will be huge.
– Za’Darius Smith: Restructuring or extending Smith’s business is another way to create the space needed to reach below the limit. He is under contract for another two years, with a maximum limit of $ 20 million each year. Would the Packers like to earn more years and guarantee more money to reduce their limit reached this year? He turns 29 in September. The Packers have to decide how long they think he will be a consistently disturbing player.
– Aaron Jones: The Packers did not tag Jones, opening the door for him to reach the open market. They want to strike a long-term deal, but the complications are many. How much money guaranteed? Is it smart to spend a lot on a running back? Can they make enough moves to put you under the cap? Not scoring Jones on Tuesday probably means he’s gone.
– Robert Tonyan: He is the only interesting restricted free agent. More than likely, Packers will use second-round bidding, hoping that the necessary compensation will drive teams away from hiring him. The bid is worth more than $ 3 million and goes to the limit immediately, creating another complication to reach below the limit at the beginning of the new league year. Without a contest, Tonyan becomes an unrestricted free agent.
– Free agency: Given the current wage cap situation, it is very difficult to imagine the Packers as buyers in the free agency. Maybe they can find a bargain or two after the first waves, but making a competitive bid for a top free agent will be difficult, and maybe even almost impossible, assuming the Packers don’t kick the can down the road with some veterans and push a lot of money for the future. The next few days will help to reveal the plan. Packers can create space. But do they want to?