Getty Images Packers WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Coming off of their first NFC North division title since 2016, the Green Bay Packers are gearing up for their NFC Divisional Round matchup as they challenge for a fifth Super Bowl championship in the coming weeks. Regardless of how the season ends for the Packers, general manager Brian Gutekunst and staff are staring at an interesting offseason ahead.
Aside from free agency and the NFL Draft coming up later in the offseason, Green Bay will first need to decide what to do with their 21 expiring contracts. Among the group are key veterans such as OT Bryan Bulaga and CB Tramon Williams, along with a few front seven players set for a payday, including LB Blake Martinez, OLB Kyler Fackrell, and DE Tyler Lancaster.
The Packers’ $31.2 million in projected salary cap space next season comes in well under the league average of $46 million, per Spotrac. As such, the front office will need to make some difficult decisions on key players who are currently under contract through at least the 2020 season. These three Packers are among the most likely to be on the chopping block this offseason.
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TE Jimmy Graham
The 33-year-old tight end originally signed a three-year, $30 million free agent contract with the Packers during the 2018 offseason. Graham’s numbers saw a fairly significant drop off in 2019 compared to a year prior, only hauling in 38 passes for 447 yards and three scores in 16 games (10 starts). He also saw 29 fewer targets and averaged nearly 12 fewer yards per game this year.
His $10 million average annual salary will be the sixth-highest on Green Bay’s roster and tops among all NFL tight ends heading into 2020. However, the team can get out of his contract for relatively little cost. Cutting or trading the five-time Pro Bowler would result in $8 million in cap savings and only $3.6 million in dead money for 2020. Declining production, lingering injuries, and a bloated salary make Graham a prime target to be wearing a different uniform next season.
G Lane Taylor
Taylor has been a consistent presence in Green Bay for the past six seasons, starting 45-of-48 games for the team between 2016-2018. Unfortunately, the 30-year-old guard was lost to a season-ending biceps injury in September of this season. In one aspect, Taylor’s loss turned out to be a blessing in disguise as 2019 second-round pick Elgton Jenkins stepped into the starting role in Week 3 and never looked back.
In 2020, Taylor will enter the final season of a three-year, $16 million extension he signed back in 2017. The emergence of the rookie Jenkins paired with Taylor’s $5.4 million cap hit – which is almost on par with starting RG Billy Turner’s deal – could spell the end for the veteran lineman in Green Bay.
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
The second-year receiver started eight of the team’s first nine games of the season, in part due to Davante Adams’ four-week absence earlier in the season. However, the emergence of 24-year-old WR Allen Lazard around the midseason mark really put a damper on Valdez-Scantling’s opportunities moving forward. In fact, MVS recorded only five catches for 36 yards from Week 8 and on. Seven of his 19 targets during that span came in Week 17 alone.
Despite a relatively thin receiving corps due to the loss of fellow 2018 draft pick Equanimeous St. Brown back in the preseason, Valdes-Scantling struggled to separate himself from the pack in 2019. While his contract isn’t a concern, it’s not far-fetched to believe the Packers could be far more intrigued by the upside and chemistry offered by Lazard and St. Brown moving forward. Not to mention both players are younger and offer similar size profiles to MVS opposite of Adams.
It’s also likely the NFC North champs look to add some receiving talent through the draft in April, potentially making the former fifth-round pick that much more expendable.
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3 Packers Who Could Be Surprise Roster Cuts This Offseason