NFL Salary Cap Will Rise in 2022; What Does It Mean for the Packers?

Earlier this morning, Ian Rapaport and Tom Pelissero broke the news that the NFL salary cap will rise to $208 million in 2022. The cap was set at $185 million this season, which was down from $198 million in 2020. The lower cap numbers were the result of lost revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of course, many will remember that there were no fans in stadiums last season, causing teams and the league to lose billions of dollars. With the return of fans into stadiums, the league is returning to a kind of “economic normalcy,” as the two writers from NFL.com put it. Additionally, local revenue, gambling money, and new TV deals have helped increase revenue across the league this season.

What Does This Mean for the Packers?

The main question on every Packers’ fan mind is, “What does mean for the Packers?” To be more specific, what does it mean about signing Devante Adams long-term? Can the Packers afford the $46 million cap hit that Aaron Rodgers’ deal brings with it?

The answer, unfortunately, is still bleak. While the rise in cap is significant, the Packers have over $250 million committed to salaries next season. This means that they need to shed roughly $42 million of salary just to get under the cap for next season. This does not include needing to free up money for signing draft picks.

Earlier this year, I wrote about five players that I did not believe would be on the team in 2022. While the increased salary cap is a good thing, the Packers (and other teams) knew it would rise in 2022. This news does not change the fact that the Packers, as an organization, will have some tough decisions to make. The players, however, are in a good position to sign larger contracts elsewhere.

As this graph shows, the Green Bay Packers have one of the worst cap situations in the NFL going into 2022.

The good news is that the Packers employ Russ Ball, who has done wonders to get the Packers under the cap in the past. We don’t know how it will get done, but we know that he will get the Packers in a financial state to succeed.

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