The Green Bay Packers signed Kevin Zeitler to a one-year deal with a base salary of $4.05M and a max value of $5M. One of the main reasons the team did not sign Zeitler earlier in the offseason was that his expected value was higher than what the Packers were willing to pay.
The value of the Zeitler contract came in lower than the projected amount before the season. This has to make the Packers feel as though they got a deal for a 14-year starter.
Green Bay Packers Sign Kevin Zeitler to Team-Friendly Deal
Zeitler signed a one-year, $9M deal with the Tennessee Titans last offseason. The year prior, he signed a one-year, $6M deal with the Detroit Lions. So, the amount he signed for in 2026 was lower than what he had been playing for over the past two seasons.
Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel expected Zeitler to sign for something in the $6M-$8M range.
“Zeitler, 36, might cost the Packers some money, possibly $6-8 million, some in the league have estimated,” Silverstein reported on Tuesday.
So, he wound up signing for less than he had in previous years, and less than the projected amount as recently as yesterday. That could be a reason why the Packers were able to sign him.
Earlier in the regular season, Bill Huber of Packers OnSI reported that Zeitler was interested in returning to play in 2026. However, there were only a few teams he wanted to play for.
“Wisconsin native, former Wisconsin standout and longtime NFL starting right guard Kevin Zeitler is ready to roll if he finds the right opportunity, according to a source. (At age 36, that means a team that can win.) He’s only played about 14,000 snaps at right guard.”
By the sound of it, Zeitler wanted to play for his hometown team. So, he took a discount to make it happen.
Packers Could Start Zeitler Sunday
Zeitler has over 14,000 career snaps at right guard. He started in 16 games for the Titans last season. He might need a little time to get back into playing shape, but Zeitler signed because he is as close to plug-and-play as a lineman can get.
Green Bay has been starting Jacob Monk in the first three weeks. However, it is not going well, and they knew they needed to make a change. They signed Mekhi Becton to the practice squad.
He started at right guard for the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles over the past two years. Still, he only signed to the practice squad for a reason. He could get called up, but they want to see more before they make him an active roster player.
With Zeitler, they trust what they have. He signed for more than Becton and Laken Tomlinson combined. So, it would not be a major surprise if he was able to get on the field just a few days after signing. The Packers need it.
Kevin Zeitler Contract Details Reveal Huge Win for Packers