Packers: 3 cut candidates on Green Bay’s roster entering 2024 offseason

A young Packers team could get even younger

In a season where expectations were tempered, the Green Bay Packers managed to impress even the most optimistic of Wisconsin football fans. The team finished the regular season at 9-8, then knocked off the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs before falling just short to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round.

While the Packers were the youngest team in the NFL in 2023, Green Bay’s roster still has numerous aging veterans on large contracts. Of the nine Packers players set to have a salary cap hit of at least $10 million in 2024, four are at least 29 years old, while three are 30 or older. These veterans and high-salaried players will be the primary cut candidates entering this offseason as the franchise looks to build on its recent success.

Acquisitions are always the focus once the season ends, but some of the toughest decisions are internal debates over which veteran players to cut to save money. Here are the top three cut candidates for the Packers this offseason.

David Bakhtiari (Offensive Tackle)
A five-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler, David Bakhtiari has played just 13 games over the last 13 seasons due to injury. As he enters the final year of his contract in 2024, the left tackle becomes a prime cut candidate for the Packers. Bakhtiari is set to make just under $40 million in 2024, $13 million more than any other Green Bay player. By cutting Bakhtiari, the Packers would eat half of the veteran tackle’s salary. But this move would save the franchise more than $20 million.

Given Bakhtiari’s injury history, releasing the left tackle is a no-brainer for the Packers.

Like Bakhtiari, Aaron Jones is another talented player entering the final year of his Packers contract. Jones is also coming off an injury-riddled season, missing six games and just 49% of offensive snaps when healthy (down from 58% in 2022). The Packers running back proved he can still produce, as he recorded five straight 100-yard games on the ground between the regular season and playoff, but finances might mean that Jones has played his final game in the Green and Gold.

The Packers would save almost $12 million by cutting Jones after June 1, leaving them with $5.7 in dead cap for 2024 and $6.6 million in 2025. Aaron Jones is 29 years old and will be entering his eighth NFL season next fall, and even with A.J. Dillon entering free agency, it is time for the Packers to press the reset button on their backfield.

Moving forward, the aging linebacking corps is an area of concern for the Packers. Preston Smith is 31 years old and De’Vondre Campbell will be the same age by the time the 2024 season kicks off. Both players carry a cap hit of at least $14 million in 2024 will be looked at closely as the Packers consider cost-saving options this offseason.

Smith had another solid year with eight sacks but could be expendable with 2023 first-round pick Lukas van Ness waiting in the wing. As for Campbell, he has missed 10 games over the last two seasons and is coming off easily his worst season as a Packer according to Pro Football Focus’ player grades.

Inside linebacker is already a position of need, as Campbell and Walker were one of the league’s worst ILB combos per PFF. Cutting Campbell after June 1 saves Green Bay $8.8 million of his salary, leaving a cap hit of just $3.6 million. Expect Green Bay to release De’Vondre Campbell and go after an inside linebacker early in the draft.