Official 2026 Free Agency/Offseason/Non-Draft Thread

[Joemailman]

Tom Silverstein
@TomSilverstein

#Packers RT Zach Tom had a partially torn patellar tendon and tried to come back with a PRP injection but didn’t feel he could pass block with it. He’ll have surgery soon and it will be a 6-month recovery.

[pbmax]

Summary: Don’t expect dips into free agency this offseason beyond sign their own. They will need to restructure or cut more than moves listed below just to resign any of their non-restricted non-exclusive free agents.

The Bottom Line

So, what does all this mean and what will they do?

In summary, the Packers are on track to be $33.1 million over the cap with only bringing back their minimum-contract exclusive-rights free agents and practice-squad players. They are likely to release Elgton Jenkins and Rashan Gary, and either release or get a massive pay cut from Trevon Diggs to get slightly positive in the cap. Extending Devonte Wyatt is a safe bet to add a little bit more.

From there, the Packers will need to choose which veterans to move on from, restructure or approach with pay cuts to give them extra space to bring back some of their pending free agents and extend some of their young stars.

Even with all this potential contract movement, I do not expect a large dip into free agency and, therefore, I do not expect the Packers to go overboard with additional veteran cuts or restructurings to create a giant pile of cap space.

I believe the Packers will aim to gain the maximum-allowed four compensatory picks for 2027 based on unrestricted free agents leaving this coming offseason.

The Packers desperately will need these picks after giving up two first-rounders for Parsons. The players likely to return compensatory picks if they sign elsewhere are Rasheed Walker, Malik Willis, Romeo Doubs, Quay Walker, Sean Rhyan and Kingsley Enagbare.

The Packers might bring back one or two from that group and let the others walk. Every eligible free agent the Packers sign cancels out a potential compensatory pick so, again, I believe the Packers will be frugal spenders and maybe instead seek recently cut castoffs who would not upset the compensatory formula.

[pbmax]

Was just playing around at OverTheCap.com

If we cut Jenkins and Diggs we save $34,000,000 in cap space. Diggs will be cut, I am sure they try to sign him to new prove it deal for 2026. Diggs cost us $15,000,000 against the cap in 2026 and nothing to cut him. Acquiring Diggs puts us $10,000,000 over the cap for 2026.

If we cut Gary, Nixon and McManus, all players I can easily say aren't worth the cost right now, we save another $18,000,000.

That would get us to $42,000,000 in cap room which is probably enough to sign the guys we want back and maybe 1 other above average FA signing.

Ken Ingalls has weighted in long form. He is not as optimistic about the cap picture as you are here.

https://www.si.com/nfl/packers/onsi/everything-you-need-to-know-about-packers-salary-cap-challenges-solutions

[Joemailman]

Diggs played 1 snap against the Bears. Some think it was because he retreated on a bubble screen rather than take on blockers. He may have played his last play for Packers.

[texaspackerbacker]

What happened to Cooper blitzing, etc.? For better or worse, Hafley happened.

Regarding ThunderDan's post and the cap, some good points there. I didn't know Diggs was due to cost that much. I'd hope they do cut him and then re-sign him for less. His market value at this point shouldn't be too high,

Cutting Gary, Nixon, and McManus is music to my ears.

I'm not backing off from what I say about the cap being fairly easily defeatable, just that being smart in who you keep and who you don't makes the cap much less of a problem - something that can easily be handled with contract structure, etc. We can and should be able to retain anybody worth retaining and picking up some key free agency pieces as well.

[call_me_ishmael]

I recall in the off-season folks talking about how 56 was going to be the best blitzer in the NFL. What happened to that?

I think it's safe to the say the Packers have a lot of holes and maybe we over-estimated the roster in the off-season.

I tend to agree that every spot on the OL is up for grabs except for wherever Zach Tom wants to play. I do think they'll give Morgan every chance at LT - maybe he will develop into a good player there.

I think it goes without saying that the player acquisition in the off-season will be heavy on the OL, DL, and CB positions. I think they're in decent shape everywhere else.

[ThunderDan]

Was just playing around at OverTheCap.com

If we cut Jenkins and Diggs we save $34,000,000 in cap space. Diggs will be cut, I am sure they try to sign him to new prove it deal for 2026. Diggs cost us $15,000,000 against the cap in 2026 and nothing to cut him. Acquiring Diggs puts us $10,000,000 over the cap for 2026.

If we cut Gary, Nixon and McManus, all players I can easily say aren't worth the cost right now, we save another $18,000,000.

That would get us to $42,000,000 in cap room which is probably enough to sign the guys we want back and maybe 1 other above average FA signing.

[texaspackerbacker]

If Alexander was good enough to stay, he'd be contributing for some other team. I have to ask, why didn't they play Trevon Diggs against the Bears after he seemed to play real well the previous week?

Regarding the Nutz and pbmax posts above, there are some good points and some I don't agree with. I definitely do not think Quay Walker had all that great a season. He just doesn't seem to be instinctive - a must at the position he plays. He is a liability in coverage, and many of the tackles he does make are way downfield. He seems out of position way more often than not.

Cooper did kinda regress. I tend to blame Hafley's style of D for that. I'm not saying Hafley was worse as a DC than what came before, just that his style didn't seem to make maximum use of Cooper. When Parsons went down, I woulda like to have seen Cooper or Quay change position completely to be the nearest facsimile we had to Parsons - hyper-athletic. Quay in particular would be good that way, maybe even when Parsons comes back, as he can just use that athleticism rather than read and react - which he hasn't been very good at. Cooper, paired with McDuffie or Hopper or some new guy would be a lot better at ILB/playing instinctively. As much as I'd like to see this radical position change, I don't expect it to happen.

I have to reluctantly and sadly agree about pulling the plug on Gary. He's "warning track power" - almost getting there but not quite personified.

Belton is the only O Lineman other than Tom that I have a high opinion of. I have always said, O Line strength is way less of a factor in winning than the skilled positions - where the Packers are strong. I also agree with the obvious - Banks has been a colossal waste of money. Thus, I'd like to see some upgrade, but I don't consider that as important as some other things - Corner for sure, strength in the D Line also, given the difference when Wyatt got hurt. For the first half against the Bears, our D Line somehow showed a little bit of strength, but in the second half, they reverted to near pathetically weak. Hafley shoulda been able to better compensate for the apparently weak personnel there.

[Joemailman]

[Anti-Polar Bear]

Offensive line is close to a rebuild. Morgan has been pretty awful at RT and Belton is a work in progress at guard which is disappointing for a second round pick, same even more pronounced for Morgan. Jenkins doesn't want to play center, so bringing him back will be an issue. Banks was a disappointment in free agency this year, maybe there is more in the tank in 2026 for him, but I saw a lack of effort or grit from him. Rhyan is a backup, maybe some other team will take him an use him similarly as the Packers have but he isn't worth starter money. They have been looking to replace Walker for the last three years. I think he is solid enough, good run blocker on the edge.

Gary should be cut. Too much money not to be able to win one on one blocks in this league. I watch his pass rushing camps on instagram and fully recognize he is a workout warrior that can't take practice to the game field. I could write an entire article on my reason and disappointment over Rashan Gary over the past 2 seasons.

I think the Packers have the ability to be really good with their inside linebackers. I thought Quay had his best season in Green Bay, while i think Cooper regressed a little bit this season. Packers should really work to resign Walker and not offering him his 5th year will be interesting to see how it plays out. I used to think his coverage skills really sucked, but the Packers always play such heavy zone that they are read and react off of the QB and simply put most QBs are so good with their eyes in the NFL that they will be wrong more than right.

Packers didn't address corner in the draft and only addressed the defensive line in the 4th round, 6th round, and free agency. Total lack of run stoppers in the middle. To areas that really crushed the Packers defense this season.

Parsons is a damn good player, two first round picks was a lot, but so what? Gutey has a hard time drafting worth a damn in the first round.

Golden finally showed last night why he was a first round pick.

S’up, Nutz. Still listening to Coldplay and showing “Chad Powers” to your players?

Excellent post. I should note that, in your absence, I warned uncool Pack fans shortly after J-Alex’s unjust release that the milksops playing corner for the Packers were gonna end up fucking up the season. Uncool Pack fans made fun of me. Who’s laughing now?

[pbmax]

Offensive line is close to a rebuild. Morgan has been pretty awful at RT and Belton is a work in progress at guard which is disappointing for a second round pick, same even more pronounced for Morgan. Jenkins doesn't want to play center, so bringing him back will be an issue. Banks was a disappointment in free agency this year, maybe there is more in the tank in 2026 for him, but I saw a lack of effort or grit from him. Rhyan is a backup, maybe some other team will take him an use him similarly as the Packers have but he isn't worth starter money. They have been looking to replace Walker for the last three years. I think he is solid enough, good run blocker on the edge.

Gary should be cut. Too much money not to be able to win one on one blocks in this league. I watch his pass rushing camps on instagram and fully recognize he is a workout warrior that can't take practice to the game field. I could write an entire article on my reason and disappointment over Rashan Gary over the past 2 seasons.

I think the Packers have the ability to be really good with their inside linebackers. I thought Quay had his best season in Green Bay, while i think Cooper regressed a little bit this season. Packers should really work to resign Walker and not offering him his 5th year will be interesting to see how it plays out. I used to think his coverage skills really sucked, but the Packers always play such heavy zone that they are read and react off of the QB and simply put most QBs are so good with their eyes in the NFL that they will be wrong more than right.

Packers didn't address corner in the draft and only addressed the defensive line in the 4th round, 6th round, and free agency. Total lack of run stoppers in the middle. To areas that really crushed the Packers defense this season.

Parsons is a damn good player, two first round picks was a lot, but so what? Gutey has a hard time drafting worth a damn in the first round.

Golden finally showed last night why he was a first round pick.

Jenkins isn't coming back with his salary. His play at center and the injury just make it harder to imagine paying it. I doubt he is going to want to redo a contract with the Packers so he will want to be on the market if he loses the contract. The Packers need to lose two big contracts to make next year work. This is likely the first.

That isn't a solution though. The might have to have a new center next year depending somewhat on Rhyan's health.

My bet is that Morgan is the left tackle next year and Walker is leaving.

Gary is almost certainly getting cut. Some are thinking he redoes his deal. No idea if it can be managed down to reasonable without throwing bad dollars into the end of the deal. Seems unlikely but no one authoritative has weighed in yet.

Cooper was having a whale of a game against the Bears in run support. I agree he didn't show up as much this year.

Also agree with Walker improvement when moving forward. But he is a huge liability in a zone, incorrectly reading the QB eyes and not getting to his drop depth. He gets looked off his primary coverage area too much. He also seemed to be loafing in trail coverage against the Bears. Twice I thought he was hurt. Unless the price went down, I don't think he is coming back.

[Deputy Nutz]

Offensive line is close to a rebuild. Morgan has been pretty awful at RT and Belton is a work in progress at guard which is disappointing for a second round pick, same even more pronounced for Morgan. Jenkins doesn't want to play center, so bringing him back will be an issue. Banks was a disappointment in free agency this year, maybe there is more in the tank in 2026 for him, but I saw a lack of effort or grit from him. Rhyan is a backup, maybe some other team will take him an use him similarly as the Packers have but he isn't worth starter money. They have been looking to replace Walker for the last three years. I think he is solid enough, good run blocker on the edge.

Gary should be cut. Too much money not to be able to win one on one blocks in this league. I watch his pass rushing camps on instagram and fully recognize he is a workout warrior that can't take practice to the game field. I could write an entire article on my reason and disappointment over Rashan Gary over the past 2 seasons.

I think the Packers have the ability to be really good with their inside linebackers. I thought Quay had his best season in Green Bay, while i think Cooper regressed a little bit this season. Packers should really work to resign Walker and not offering him his 5th year will be interesting to see how it plays out. I used to think his coverage skills really sucked, but the Packers always play such heavy zone that they are read and react off of the QB and simply put most QBs are so good with their eyes in the NFL that they will be wrong more than right.

Packers didn't address corner in the draft and only addressed the defensive line in the 4th round, 6th round, and free agency. Total lack of run stoppers in the middle. To areas that really crushed the Packers defense this season.

Parsons is a damn good player, two first round picks was a lot, but so what? Gutey has a hard time drafting worth a damn in the first round.

Golden finally showed last night why he was a first round pick.

[pbmax]

Yesterday moved my board (imaginary) around. Much more in Doubs camp now than Walkers.

Walker has improved as a run defender and blitzer, but coverage is still an adventure for him. It was exposed multiple times yesterday.

[Joemailman]

Change is constant in the NFL. Some notable Packers will be gone. Some possibilities:

Romeo Doubs
Elgton Jenkins
Rashan Gary
Sean Rhyan
Rasheed Walker
Quay Walker
Keisean Nixon
Trevon Diggs

[bobblehead]

Offensive line is 4/5 done I think for good or ill.

Morgan will be at LT. Belton will get RG unless they think Zach Tom's injuries are truly problematic. If Tom is on a prove your healthy plan then we likely get Belton with some RT snaps in camp. his contract might make that distinction irrelevant.

Monk got good reviews at center but given injury history I don't know if I trust him. I am not sure I trust Rhyan with the position either. Having center be covered by the two of them is the question of the offseason for the Packers.

Don't know what to think of Williams. Glover might be back next year on the outside but they need new backups at tackle. Rhyan would cover guard.

I agree its 4/5 done, but I am only confident in 1/5. Belton needs to spend a ton of time in the weight room. Morgan needs to prove they didn't ruin him (I loved Morgan coming out, but I wanted him where we picked Cooper. Not sure he would have been there, but that draft was way deep at tackle). Banks has been good never great so far in his career and this was almost a lost season. Thats a lot that needs to break correctly for next years OL to be good.....and we still have a giant ?? at center.