Packers Will Cut Ties With $50 Million Former All-Pro: Report
The Green Bay Packers are gearing up for roster changes, with the front office poised to make decisive cuts.
According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, linebacker De’Vondre Campbell is set to be released when the new league year kicks off on Wednesday.
Silverstein explained, “By waiting until Wednesday, they can put a June 1 designation on his release and gain a larger chunk of salary cap room than if they cut him right away. The Packers have been making moves to create salary cap space to position themselves as potential players in free agency. They are expected to target a safety and potentially players at other positions.”
Green Bay’s efforts to save cap space extend beyond free agency. According to Silverstein, the team is prioritizing the re-signing of several players from its 2023 roster in the days ahead.
Silverstein noted, “Additionally, they aim to retain some of their own free agents, including cornerback/returner Keisean Nixon, linebacker Eric Wilson, and tight end Tyler Davis.”
De’Vondre Campbell transitioned from a bargain discovery to an expensive contract extension in Green Bay.
Campbell was one of general manager Brian Gutekunst’s remarkable value discoveries back in 2021 when the Packers inked the middle linebacker to a modest one-year contract of just $2 million.
Following a stellar season, earning first-team All-Pro honors, Campbell recorded a career-best 146 tackles, along with 5 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 sacks, as per Pro Football Reference.
Subsequently, Green Bay secured Campbell with a five-year, $50 million deal the subsequent offseason. However, his performance declined, partly due to injuries, turning the signing into an illustration of a detrimental investment from which the Packers have now opted to move on.
The team will achieve savings of approximately $10.6 million in 2024 and nearly $8.9 million in each of the subsequent two years as a result of this decision. However, Green Bay will face dead cap hits of nearly $3.7 million annually for the next three seasons and $657,000 in 2027 due to the move.
The Packers are still prepared to release left tackle David Bakhtiari in the upcoming days.
Campbell marked the beginning of Green Bay’s significant cap casualties in 2024, but he is unlikely to be the last. Left tackle David Bakhtiari remains a strong candidate for departure due to his recent injury history and the substantial cap hit he carries in 2024.
Bakhtiari, a five-time All-Pro, is heading into the final season of a $92 million deal, and his cap hit exceeds $40 million if the Packers do not address his contract situation. By cutting or trading Bakhtiari at any point during this spring or summer, Green Bay can save almost $21 million, which is roughly double the amount the team will free up by parting ways with Campbell.
The fact that the Packers have yet to make a decision regarding Bakhtiari’s future leaves a slim possibility for a potential restructuring or extension for the 32-year-old left tackle, which could potentially keep him on the team in the coming years. However, his ongoing knee issues, which have sidelined him for the majority of the past three seasons, cast doubt on his future in the NFL.
Bakhtiari has only appeared in 13 regular-season games during this period, including just one game each in 2021 and 2023. It appears more likely that Green Bay is exploring if there is any minimal trade interest in Bakhtiari, which could potentially lead to acquiring some form of asset in exchange for him, before making a final decision on his release.
