It looks like the Green Bay Packers are unlikely to make a splash in free agency. Also, they have to cut bait with some of their own free agents. Furthermore, here are three moves the Packers must make to clear salary cap space in the 2026 NFL offseason.
After a 9-7-1 season, capped by a hugely disappointing playoff loss to the rival Bears, the Packers have plenty of work to do over the spring and summer. They must find a way to get their roster in Super Bowl-contending shape and hope Micah Parsons recovers quickly from his ACL injury.
Packers must let go of DE Rashan Gary
Yes, he’s one year removed from a Pro Bowl appearance. And yes, he impressively started the 2025 season.
But the way Gary collapsed down the stretch can’t be ignored. He did not record a sack or a tackle for loss over the final 10 games of the season. That was a crushing performance for a team that tried to limp by without Parsons. When the Packers needed Gary to step up, he stepped back.
And that brought his contract into sharp focus. If the Packers send him packing, it would allow approximately $11 million in cap savings for this season. Furthermore, it would erase $31 million from the 2027 books, according to PackersWire.com.
Gary is due $18 million in base salary in 2026. And he simply hasn’t produced like that type of player.
Here’s a good way to understand where Gary, 28, lands in his NFL career: At least one other team doesn’t think he would be a good addition, according to nesn.com.
“If Gary is released, he will certainly draw interest in free agency,” Aaliyan Mohammed wrote. “However, he is not going to be worth what it’s going to cost to sign him for the Patriots. He has never posted a double-digit sack season in his career. K’Lavon Chaisson played less pass rush snaps than Gary last season and had just as many sacks. Despite a Pro Bowl nod and 46.5 career sacks, Gary could end up being fool’s gold if he hits the open market.”
And that’s the thing the Packers must consider. It’s not like they’re going to release Gary and worry if he will come back to haunt them. Even if he signed in the NFC North, it would be OK. That’s because the Packers know how to slow him down. After all, every Packers opponent over the second half of the season gave them the information they needed.
Release Gary. Save the money for a younger player with a higher ceiling. The Packers do this type of thing all the time. General Manager Brian Gutekunst is a master of it.
OG Aaron Banks should be released
This is another case of a tough decision. The 28-year-old Banks is a five-year veteran who started 14 games last season.
However, there is a problem with Banks in terms of production. His overall grade of 53.0 ranked No. 66 out of 81 qualifying guards in the NFL last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Also, his run-blocking grade of 54.6 ranked No. 58. And that was supposed to be a strong suit when he signed with the Packers in 2025 after four years with the 49ers. Banks ranked No. 25 in 2024, earning a rating of 68.9 in run blocking.
It may point to a scheme boost he got with the 49ers that the Packers didn’t offer. But that’s a red flag because the Packers aren’t going to change their scheme to make one player a more-efficient run blocker.
But perhaps the biggest issue is money. Banks would cost close to $25 million against the cap in 2026. He’s a very expensive player to be rated so lowly. He struggled badly in pass protection, according to Pro Football Focus.
“Left guard Aaron Banks had a rough first season in Green Bay,” Zoltán Buday wrote. “The former San Francisco 49ers player gave up pressure on 7.1% of pass plays, which was the worst rate of his career.”
And here’s the thing. Would Banks get the same deal this year? Not at all, according to a post on X by Andy Herman.
“Would you sign Aaron Banks to a one-year, $18.1 million deal if he were a free agent? If the answer is no, then he should be cut. It’s a simple cut & dry question. The answer is no, but my guess is he stays another year, and I think it’ll be a mistake.”
And that seems to be the sentiment of many people. They believe the Packers will give Banks another year. But in so doing, they may hurt their chances of remaining on the fringes of Super Bowl contention in 2026. Not just because of him, but because the team will limit itself in the free-agent market.
Packers should cut C Elgton Jenkins
Yes, this is moving fast toward a revamped offensive line. But is that a bad thing? The Packers were in the bottom half of the NFL among offensive lines in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus.
“The Packers’ offensive line struggled in pass protection this season,” Buday wrote. “The unit gave up 173 pressures, including 15 sacks, on 561 pass plays. That fueled an 83.2 PFF pass-blocking efficiency rating, which ranked only 26th in the NFL in 2025.”
That’s pretty bad. The Packers seem to need an overhaul. And Jenkins left himself open for a cut, according to PackersWire.com.
“Jenkins struggled after transitioning to center and then suffered a season-ending injury in Week 10,” Zach Kruse wrote. “His cap number balloons to $24.3 million in 2026, and the Packers can save $19.5 million by moving on.”
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