Official 2026 Free Agency/Offseason/Non-Draft Thread

[Joemailman]

They are predicting a $16,000,000+ jump in the cap for next year, up over 5.5%.

Our $10,000,000 in room is including that $16,000,000 jump.

The whole division will have issues to deal with. As things stand right now, at start of 2026 league year, the Packers will have $10 million cap space, the Lions $6 million, the Bears $1 million and the Vikings will be $37 million over. https://overthecap.com/salary-cap-space

[ThunderDan]

Packers at $286,000,000 in total cap liabilities. Due to top 51 spending and deadcap we are at $269,000,000 with $10,000,000 I’m space.

For next year packers at $295,000,000 in total cap liabilities. Right at the limit, but if we keep this years $10,000,000 in space it goes to next year. That is with shedding $40,000,000 in dead cap hits and paying only 41 players.

[ThunderDan]

They are predicting a $16,000,000+ jump in the cap for next year, up over 5.5%.

Our $10,000,000 in room is including that $16,000,000 jump.

[texaspackerbacker]

Some people always whine and worry about the cap - fans, sometime media pukes, but somehow not the people really in the know - the people that run the team seem to have it figured out and all the panicky crap never happens, not in Green Bay anyway. The few teams that have ever ended up in "cap hell" were stupid and deserved it. Much ado about very little.

Everybody that needs to be retained or signed will. Watch and see.

Gary "interesting trade piece"? I doubt it. He will be back unless they decide he shouldn't be, and they find somebody better. (I wouldn't rule out that Van Ness, Sorrell, and Enagbare make him unnecessary, though.)

[pbmax]

Of course, the cap will go up. And there are always ways to deal with those cap issues - restructuring, etc.

They ought to be able to do better than Jenkins as he played this year. Jenkins of last season, they would and should find a way. It kinda depends on which they think is the real him.

They ought to be able to find somebody as good as Gary for the same money, but I have a hunch they will resign him on a cap-friendly deal.

The Packers have a LOT of dead cap space (Alexander, Preston Smith, Devondre Campbell, Clark) and Love and Parsons have void years that need to be dealt with eventually. Unless you want to watch the Saints experience repeated, they need to be on a budget for a couple of years.

And one of the ways people massage the cap is to let contracts go before they get ridiculous. Jenkins isn't returning on his current deal. His number is too big even if he was playing at an All Pro level.

Gary, if his pass rush picks up, might make an interesting trade piece. He's way too inconsistent for his salary. But I don't know how big a hit that will be.

[texaspackerbacker]

Of course, the cap will go up. And there are always ways to deal with those cap issues - restructuring, etc.

They ought to be able to do better than Jenkins as he played this year. Jenkins of last season, they would and should find a way. It kinda depends on which they think is the real him.

They ought to be able to find somebody as good as Gary for the same money, but I have a hunch they will resign him on a cap-friendly deal.

[ThunderDan]

Packers are $10,000,000 under the cap for 2026 and only have 41 players under contract.

Jenkins is gone. So that gets us to $30,000,000 in cap space needing to sign our free agents and draft class.

The Packers will only be able to sign mid-tier deals. No one else is getting a top of the position contract.

Also in 2026, right now we are finally down to only $17,000,000 in dead cap fron the Clark trade. We have $50,000,000 in dead cap space this year and I think will the ARod issues we have been close to $100,000,000 in dead cap before.

[Joemailman]

Packers would save 10 million on the cap by cutting/trading Gary before June 1. 19 million after June 1.

They would save 20 million by cutting/trading Jenkins any time.

[pbmax]

I like the little bit I've seen of Hopper more than the lot I've seen of Quay Walker. I disagree with the "nope" on Enagbare unless somebody way overpays for him. He has been good at rushing the QB, and he's shown pretty good ability against the run this year too.

I've never liked Rasheed Walker. Assuming he does get any kind of a decent offer from some other team, let him go. I like Belton better than Morgan, but maybe both should be starting tackles. Jenkins, Tom, and Rhyan have all played Center. Using those three and Banks if he shapes up a little bit at the three interior O Line positions would be good. Get rid of Monk and probably draft the usual couple of mid-round O Linemen, preferably road grader types.

Try to keep Willis, but don't try too hard. As I said earlier, decent backup QBs - both old and young - aren't that hard to find.

Jenkins won't be coming back. His deal is too backloaded and cap expensive starting next year. Highly doubt he agrees with Packers to a new deal before a release.

[texaspackerbacker]

I like the little bit I've seen of Hopper more than the lot I've seen of Quay Walker. I disagree with the "nope" on Enagbare unless somebody way overpays for him. He has been good at rushing the QB, and he's shown pretty good ability against the run this year too.

I've never liked Rasheed Walker. Assuming he does get any kind of a decent offer from some other team, let him go. I like Belton better than Morgan, but maybe both should be starting tackles. Jenkins, Tom, and Rhyan have all played Center. Using those three and Banks if he shapes up a little bit at the three interior O Line positions would be good. Get rid of Monk and probably draft the usual couple of mid-round O Linemen, preferably road grader types.

Try to keep Willis, but don't try too hard. As I said earlier, decent backup QBs - both old and young - aren't that hard to find.

[pbmax]

How many total picks has Gute had in those four?

Ted stepped back in the 2018 offseason and Gute was hired in Jan of 2018. If that is his first draft, then:

2018 - 11 picks
2019 - 8 picks
2020 - 9 picks
2021 - 9 picks

Total 37 picks

[pbmax]

Here's some interesting facts:

On average, NFL teams sign about 1.5 players to 2nd contracts from each draft class.

Ron Wolf had 10 drafts from which 20 players signed second-contracts in GB.

Ted Thompson had 13 drafts from which 21 players signed second contracts in GB.

Gutekunst has had four drafts reach the end of their rookie contracts and 5 players signed second contracts with GB. However, two from the 2022 draft class (being discussed in this thread) have already signed second contracts, Zach Tom and Christian Watson (Watson just for 1 year), and Devontae Wyatt will be on the 5th year extension. The 2022 draft class could easily end up with 3 signing legit 2nd contracts, maybe even more but that would be unusual and require difficult cap manipulations.

How many total picks has Gute had in those four?

[Patler]

My guess is this; when all is said and done, from the 2022 draft class GB will sign Tom (already done), Christian Watson (an extension to his one-year 2nd contract), Wyatt and Quay Walker to 2nd contracts. The rest will sign elsewhere; GB will be very inactive in free agent signings this offseason; and the Packers will get decent compensatory picks for Rasheed Walker and Romeo Doubs and another one, maybe two, lower compensatory picks for the others in the 2027 draft

[Patler]

Here's some interesting facts:

On average, NFL teams sign about 1.5 players to 2nd contracts from each draft class.

Ron Wolf had 10 drafts from which 20 players signed second-contracts in GB.

Ted Thompson had 13 drafts from which 21 players signed second contracts in GB.

Gutekunst has had four drafts reach the end of their rookie contracts and 5 players signed second contracts with GB. However, two from the 2022 draft class (being discussed in this thread) have already signed second contracts, Zach Tom and Christian Watson (Watson just for 1 year), and Devontae Wyatt will be on the 5th year extension. The 2022 draft class could easily end up with 3 signing legit 2nd contracts, maybe even more but that would be unusual and require difficult cap manipulations.

[pbmax]

They did not sign Walker because they were trying to get him extended while not committing to a fully guaranteed (tag like) number for the 5th year option. Whether they were avoiding the guarantee or trying to make the entire deal a little cheaper overall is hard to parse. Could have been both.

Nothing but guessing but here we go:

Quay Walker - I think they sign him but not getting it done over the summer makes this perhaps less likely than it once looked. There is a price they won't pay an ILB with Cooper and Hopper on the team. They paid Campbell, they'd like to pay Walker too.

Malik Willis - they would love to sign him but someone will take a risk on him and give him something closer to replacement starter money. The Commanders could have used him for instance. Falcons too.

Romeo Doubs - He is Love's favorite (though Reed seems to fill that role at times too) and his hands were (possibly past tense) good enough to trust him with 50/50 balls. He could be back but not at a premium salary. The better Watson plays, the less money he sees from the Packers. Lots of pressure on Golden and Reed next year. And I LOVE Watson but man is he feast or famine on his health.

Sean Rhyan - Patler's paraphrase of Silverstein's source is likely accurate. He's got a tryout at center. He won't get top shelf starting center money and he could be a bargain if a capable starter and cover you at backup Guard too.

Rasheed Walker - he is going to leave and get paid I'd think. Morgan is moving to left tackle. Not to mention Belton being around.

Kingsley Enagbare - Nope

In this scenario, Packers need a Guard prospect, WR depth and cornerbacks. If no Walker, put ILB down too.