The Green Bay Packers will be facing a tough salary cap situation in 2023. It may not be as bad as it was in 2022, but it still won’t be easy to navigate. If the Packers find themselves in need of cap space OR looking to add a big-name player there are three players they could look at that would save over $43M in cap space. However, the names won’t be ones that many Packers fans will be happy to hear.
Three Players That Green Bay Could Cut In 2023 To Save Massive Money
OT David Bakhtiari
This may be a name that Packers fans will have mixed feelings about. While David Bakhtiari has been a fan favorite for years in Green Bay, many fans have grown tired of him over the last two years. Make no mistake about it, Bakhtiari has worked his tail off to get back on the field for his team. That has been annotated many times over by players, coaching staff, and trainers. However, it can’t be ignored that he hasn’t been on the field much over the last two seasons.
Bakhtiari turns 32 next season and is due a cap hit of $29.07 million. Green Bay would create just under $6 million by releasing Bakhtiari before June 1. If they wait until after that date, they would spread the dead cap hit out and save $17.5 million in 2023.
OLB Preston Smith
This one may come as a shock to Packers fans if it happens. While Rashan Gary is certainly the future of the position for Green Bay, Preston Smith has been nothing short of solid in Green Bay for years. However, if Green Bay likes what they have in Rashan Gary and Kingsley Enagbare at the future of the OLBs, moving on from Preston Smith could be an option.
Like with David Bakhtiari, releasing Preston Smith would give the Packers a greater 2023 cap saving if the transaction took place after June 1. Green Bay would then create $10.6 million in cap space, rather than $3.28 million if the move happens before June 1.
RB Aaron Jones
2022 has made it clear that Aaron Jones is the best weapon on the Packers’ offense. When the ball goes through him, the offense moves down the field. He is one of the more underrated RBs in the NFL and is certainly a vocal point of Green Bay’s offense. However, even with all of that being said, Aaron Jones is due to have a cap hit of over $20M in 2023. It is hard to justify paying any RB that kind of money. If Green Bay decided to move on, they could save on the salary cap big time.
If the move happened before June 1, they would save $10.46 million. After June 1 would create $16 million. It always felt like a two-year extension for Jones as the cap hits in 2023 and beyond were so high.
The total cap savings of these three moves would be more than $44.1M. If Green Bay had their sites set on one or more big-name free-agent signings this would certainly help.
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