Pro Football Rumors

Extensions and restructures:

• Extended RT Zach Tom on four-year, $88MM deal ($30.2MM guaranteed)

In time for training camp, a major (but expected) raise came to fruition in Tom’s case. Following a rookie campaign which saw Tom handle part-time usage at multiple positions, the 26-year-old settled into an effective role as Green Bay’s right tackle. Tom ranked 15th amongst qualifying tackles in PFF grade for 2024, and he improved to sixth last season. With three of the blockers above him in that regard playing on the blind side, it comes as no surprise the Packers authorized one of the most lucrative right tackle pacts in this case.

Tom’s $22MM average annual value ranks third in the NFL at the RT spot. That is also true with respect to all current Packers contracts (behind only quarterback Jordan Love and edge rusher Rashan Gary). As the highest-paid member of Green Bay’s offensive line, expectations will be elevated in Tom’s case; he will certainly have plenty of time to meet them since he is under contract through 2029 as a result of the new accord.

The starting left tackle position is up for grabs as the Packers look for their ideal five-man combination up front. That could see Rasheed Walker maintain his spot on the blind side, although 2024 first-rounder Jordan Morgan is an candidate to unseat him. In any case, Tom will be counted on as an anchor up front now and for years to come. Continued performances as one of the league’s top tackles – especially given his age – would prove the Wake Forest product to be a worthwhile commitment on the team’s part. Given Tom’s track record to date, this investment should be viewed as a safe one.

Draft:

• Round 1, No. 23: Matthew Golden (WR, Texas) (signed)
• Round 2, No. 54: Anthony Belton, T (NC State) (signed)
• Round 3, No. 87: Savion Williams (WR, TCU) (signed)
• Round 4, No. 124: Barryn Sorrell (DE, Texas) (signed)
• Round 5, No. 159: Collin Oliver (DE, Oklahoma State) (signed)
• Round 6, No. 198: Warren Brinson (DT, Georgia) (signed)
• Round 7, No. 237 (from Steelers): Micah Robinson (CB, Tulane) (signed)
• Round 7, No. 250*: John Williams (G, Cincinnati) (signed)

Prior to the Golden selection, 2002 marked the Packers’ most recent first-round investment in a receiver. Several Day 2 picks have proven fruitful, but relying on them almost exclusively throughout the Aaron Rodgers era increasingly became a talking point regarding organizational practice. As hosts of the draft this April, Green Bay elected to take a different route.

Golden delivered a strong one-and-done campaign with the Longhorns. The former Houston product transferred within the state for 2024 and posted a 58-987-9 statline. Down the stretch in particular, he emerged as a major contributor and showcased his ability as a deep threat. At the Combine, a 4.29 40-yard dash time further cemented Golden’s status as one of the top receiver prospects in this year’s class.

The Packers showed interest in one of the other premier WR options, Tetairoa McMillan. A move up the board proved to be unfeasible, though, with the Panthers staying pat at No. 8. Trade calls came in for the 23rd pick from the Eagles, but Green Bay also elected to remain in place. As a result, Golden is positioned to operate as a key figure in the team’s oft-discussed (based on an unclear pecking order) receiving corps.

With Golden and Williams – who enjoyed a 60-catch campaign in 2024 and, at 6-foot-5, will bring a notable size element to the Packers’ offense – being added, further questions were raised about how things would shake out at the position. Indeed, the rookie wideouts will spend their initial NFL campaigns competing for targets with Christian Watson (when healthy), Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks and Malik Heath, with Mecole Hardman also a depth option if his role expands beyond return duties.

Indeed, Reed expressed (through his agent) concerns about his role moving forward. Two years remain on Reed’s rookie contract, and the same is true of Wicks. Watson and Doubs are pending 2026 free agents, though, so expanded workloads for Golden in particular and potentially Williams next year could be in store. How the wideout pecking order gets sorted out will be interesting to monitor on an offense filled with returnees at the skill positions.

An older prospect due to his two years at Georgia Military College, Belton finished his college career with three straight seasons as a starting left tackle. The 336-pounder could offer depth on the blind side, but a more realistic projection would see him line up at guard in the NFL. In either case, a path to an immediate starting role does not appear to exist.

Aaron Banks and fourth-year Packer Sean Rhyan are positioned to handle first-team duties at each guard spot in 2025. The latter is entering the final year of his rookie pact, meaning a free agent departure could be on tap next spring. If that were to take place, Jordan Morgan would become a candidate for the starting right guard gig. The same would also, presumably, be true in Belton’s case Failing that, a multiyear run as a backup option could be in store.

Other:

• Led unsuccessful effort to ban Tush Push
• HC Matt LaFleur, GM Brian Gutekunst will not receive early extensions
• Ed Policy succeeded Mark Murphy as president/CEO
• Extended ST coordinator Rich Bisaccia
• Nathaniel Hackett returned to coaching staff
• Hired DeMarcus Covington as defensive line coach, promoted Sean Mannion to QBs coach
• LBs coach Anthony Campanile took Jaguars’ DC position; team promoted Sean Duggan as replacement
• Exercised DT Devonte Wyatt’s $12.94MM fifth-year option, declined LB Quay Walker’s $14.75MM option
• Elgton Jenkins transitioned from G to C; Bo Melton transitioned from WR to CB
• WR Christian Watson likely to begin season on reserve/PUP list
• Discussed reunion with WR Davante Adams; team showed trade interest in WR George Pickens, free agent interest in WR Cooper Kupp
• Claimed RB Israel Abanikanda off waivers from 49ers
• Claimed WR Kawaan Baker off waivers from Raiders
• Signed 10 UDFAs

In March, the matter of a Tush Push ban proved to be divisive amongst NFL decision-makers. A vote on the matter was postponed before the language of Green Bay’s proposal was altered. The team’s attempt to return rules on pushing ball carriers to pre-2005 standards received support, with 22 teams voting in favor in May.

That fell just short of the required three-fourths majority for rule changes, however. Last-minute efforts on the part of the Eagles resulted in sufficient support for keeping the play alive in 2025, at least. Further attempts at a ban in the future would come as no surprise, and the Packers may again find themselves playing a leading role in that respect.

The planned succession from Murphy to Ed Policy — son of former 49ers GM Carmen Policy — took place as expected, setting up stability on the business side of the franchise for years to come. Continuity will also be witnessed on the sidelines and in the front office for 2025. The matter of new commitments for LaFleur and/or Gutekunst will become a talking point over the course of the campaign given the decision to avoid extensions this offseason.

Policy noted his disdain for head coaches or general managers operating under lame-duck status. As a result, new contracts in both cases should be expected, barring a major disappointment over the coming months. LaFleur ranks seventh in terms of the league’s longest-tenured head coaches. Gutekunst, meanwhile sits (for all intents and purposes) in 11th in that respect amongst general managers. The Packers sport a .670 regular season winning percentage since LaFleur’s first season (2019), and they have reached the postseason five times in seven years under Gutekunst.

That pair will have a familiar face back in the fold with Hackett returning to Green Bay. The 45-year-old’s head coaching gig with the Broncos proved to be disastrous, and his reunion with Aaron Rodgers as the Jets’ offensive coordinator did not fare much better. Hackett’s background is on the offensive side of the ball, but his return will include duties as an analyst working with the Packers’ defense. That unit enjoyed a strong first year under Jeff Hafley in 2024, and maintaining its success could allow for Hackett to begin rebuilding his coaching stock.

Green Bay’s defensive staff will have another ex-coordinator in the form of Covington. After seven years on the Patriots’ staff, he took on defensive coordinator responsibilities under Jerod Mayo in 2024. With Mike Vrabel coming in following the one-and-done Mayo tenure, though, Covington was among the staffers who found themselves on the move during the coaching cycle. The ninth-year NFL staffer interviewed for Cincinnati’s DC position before taking his new role in Green Bay. The team’s defensive front will be a unit to watch closely given its expectations, and Covington, 36, figures to play a key role in its performance.

The statuses of both Wyatt and Walker became a talking point dating back to before the start of the 2024 season. Both former Georgia teammates remained regulars last season, although Wyatt saw his snap share drop compared to the previous year (down from 50% to 41%). A statistical fall-off did not ensue, however.

Wyatt managed five sacks and 12 quarterback pressures in 2024, further establishing his presence as a disruptive presence along the interior. The 27-year-old still faces questions about his run defense, though, and improvement in that regard will be needed as he takes on a full-time starting gig. T.J Slaton’s departure will allow Wyatt to assume a larger role in preparation for a notable raise in 2026. A step forward would make an extension decision easier for Green Bay, a team which has Kenny Clark on the books for another three seasons.

It came as little surprise when Walker’s option was declined. The merging of inside and outside linebackers for the purpose of option valuations has led to a growing trend of teams opting for early free agency in cases such as his. Still, Gutekunst made it clear in April he intended to keep both Wyatt and Walker in the fold beyond 2025. The latter has already been the subject of extension talks, so a long-term pact could be in store down the road.

Walker, 25, has filled the statsheet so far with 341 tackles and 6.5 sacks to his name. He has yet to miss considerable time through injury, and a regular partnership alongside highly touted 2024 second-rounder Edgerrin Cooper could prove to be effective. Walker will not collect a top-eight linebacker salary in 2026 (as he would have in the event of his option being picked up), but a considerable increase compared to his scheduled $4.4MM this year will be required if a long-term arrangement is to be worked out.

Jenkins was initially hesitant about switching positions, and he sought a contract adjustment reflecting his new role. The two-time Pro Bowler is aware by now, however, that no such development will take place. The top of the guard market comfortably outpaces that of centers, a financial reality Jenkins and his camp is well aware of. The last holdover from the Rodgers MVP years, Jenkins has seen his four-year, $68MM contract drop from first among Packer O-linemen to third. No guaranteed money remains on the 29-year-old blocker’s deal for 2026; any extension worked out next spring will no doubt be influenced heavily by the differing financial landscape up front.

Given the young (and highly inexpensive nature) of Green Bay’s receiver room, a move like bringing back Adams or acquiring a less familiar high-profile wideout certainly would have altered the roster balance of that position. An Adams reunion in particular could have elevated the team’s expectations through the air. Instead, he returned to the West Coast on a Rams deal. Pickens and Kupp will reside in the NFC as well in 2025 as the Packers aim for further internal growth at the WR spot.

Melton will not play a role in that effort, with his cornerback experiment proceeding on a full-time basis. Retained on an ERFA tender this offseason, the 26-year-old’s earning power for next year (with Green Bay or another team, if he winds up being non-tendered) will be determined by the success of his play on defense.

Top 10 cap charges for 2025:

1. Jordan Love, QB: $29.69MM
2. Rashan Gary, OLB: $25.77MM
3. Kenny Clark, DT: $20.37MM
4. Xavier McKinney, S: 17.85MM
5. Elgton Jenkins, C: $17.6MM
6. Josh Jacobs, RB: $11.33MM
7. Aaron Banks, LG: $9.03MM
8. Zach Tom, RT: $7.37MM
9. Keisean Nixon, CB: $6.84MM
10. Nate Hobbs, CB: $5.99MM

Continuity amongst Green Bay’s core should be expected in the intermediate future with each of these 10 players listed on the books for 2026 as well. Among those projected to see a major spike in cap charge from one year to the next are Clark and Banks, so they will be candidates for contract adjustments next spring. The Packers will carry over $35MM in dead money charges in 2025.

Not unlike the Texans in the AFC, the Packers enter the coming season with a track record of being able to reach the postseason but questions about their ability — in the Love years, at least — to sustain a run to the Super Bowl. Love’s 2024 inconsistency fueled criticism of Green Bay’s $55MM-per-year commitment to him, and the third-year starter’s performance will of course receive considerable scrutiny throughout the season as he looks to truly establish himself among the game’s elite under center.

The division rival Lions and Vikings return strong rosters, and a new Bears staff is the source of optimism for development in Chicago. Meanwhile, 2024 contenders in the conference should once again present challenges this year. Whether or not Green Bay’s (largely intact) core can take a step forward will be one of the NFC’s most important storylines in 2025.