Rashan Gary
Getty
Rashan Gary of the Green Bay Packers.
The Green Bay Packers traded for recent All-Pro linebacker Zaire Franklin on the proverbial eve of NFL free agency, a deal that is likely to lead to some other big moves in the days to come.
Packers salary cap analyst Ken Ingalls examined the team’s salary cap situation following the deal flipping Colby Wooden to the Indianapolis Colts for Franklin, as well as a couple of other transactions, which Ingalls contended point now to the trade or release of pass-rusher Rashan Gary and/or offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins.
Ken - Packers Cap
So…More cap saving moves are incoming!!
With trading for Zaire Franklin, trading away Colby Wooden, signing Chris Brooks, and signing Nick Niemann the Packers will no longer be cap complaint next week.
Looking at Elgton Jenkins & Rashan Gary’s Hacker 😉
“So…More cap saving moves are incoming!!” Ingalls posted to X. “With trading for Zaire Franklin, trading away Colby Wooden, signing Chris Brooks, and signing Nick Niemann the Packers will no longer be cap complaint next week. Looking at Elgton Jenkins & Rashan Gary’s Hacker 😉.”
Packers Can Save $11 Million by Cutting, Trading Rashan Gary
Rashan Gary, Packers
GettyPass-rusher Rashan Gary of the Green Bay Packers.
Green Bay inked Gary to a monster four-year contract extension worth $96 million total two offseasons past, but he has not lived up to that deal in the time since signing it.
The 28-year-old pass-rusher put up 7.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss in 16 games played last season. Pro Football Focus ranked Gary the 52nd-best edge defender out of 115 players who saw enough snaps to qualify at the position last year.
He particularly struggled down the stretch of the campaign, which Matt Schneidman of The Athletic contended has rendered Gary a trade candidate with two years remains on his deal.
“Another cut candidate is defensive end Rashan Gary,” Schneidman wrote on February 16. “Cutting him after he went missing in the second half of the season would free up about $11 million in cap space.”
Several Rival Teams Viable Landing Spots for Rashan Gary
Rashan Gary
GettyOutside linebacker Rashan Gary of the Green Bay Packers.
Trading Gary would save the Packers the same amount against the salary cap in 2026. Any such deal involving Gary would also clear $22.5 million off Green Bay’s cap total one year from now.
A trade would be preferable for the Packers for several reasons, including the draft asset the team could get back in return. The question is whether Gary has been good enough over the past two seasons for any team to assume his $19.5 million in base salary and bonuses in 2026 and give up a mid-round draft asset to acquire him.
Several prominent franchises, including all three inside the NFC North Division, could use an edge-rusher.
The Chicago Bears struggled to pressure opposing QBs with just four rushers all season, finishing near the bottom of the league in pass rush win rate and quick pressures. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings are shopping Jonathan Greenard after he asked for a raise this offseason, and the Detroit Lions are hunting a longterm edge-rush partner for Aidan Hutchinson.
In the AFC, the Las Vegas Raiders just traded Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round picks (2026, 2027), and the Kansas City Chiefs badly need a pass-rush presence off the edge heading into next season — just to name a couple.