Packers rumors: 3 overpaid who need to be cut to gain some cap space
By John Buhler
The Green Bay Packers could make these three players salary cap casualties this offseason.
Only the hopeless New Orleans Saints are in a worse salary cap situation than the Green Bay Packers for 2022.
Though it is not as ghastly of a problem as what the Saints are rocking at $76.16 million over, the Packers are in a bad spot too at over $48.45 million over the cap. While there are things Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst can do to get some of this money off the books and into future years, no doubt about it, his hand has been forced and he must cut some guys to best get under.
Here are three likely cap casualty candidates for the Packers heading into the 2022 offseason.
Green Bay Packers: 3 potential salary cap casualties heading into 2022 offseason
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. K. Green Bay Packers. Mason Crosby. 3. player. 49
Age might finally be catching up to the Packers’ long-time kicker Mason Crosby
Perhaps the biggest reason why the Packers are not playing in Super Bowl 56 this weekend is the unmitigated disaster that was their 2021 special teams unit. Blunder and blunder led to the Packers losing at home in a snow game vs. a very beatable San Francisco 49ers team in the NFC Divisional Round. One player who is not devoid of blame here is longtime kicker Mason Crosby.
While Crosby has been the Packers’ kicker since he was drafted in the sixth round out of Colorado in 2007, he is no longer the player he once was. Crosby made only 73.5 percent of his field goals, his worst mark of his career. Yes, he was an otherworldly 100 percent in 2020, but that was two years ago. Not only that, but he Crosby missed two extra points this past season for Green Bay.
In short, Crosby is no longer the reliable player he once was in his prime. 2022 will be his age-38 season in the NFL. Though he will only save the Packers a little more than $2 million if he is released, it is hard seeing him on the team for another season at a $4.735 million cap hit for 2022. Simply put, the Packers will need Crosby to play on a reduced salary if he wants to return for them.
With new special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia taking over, maybe it is time to get a new kicker?