GREEN BAY, Wis. — The bill has finally come due. After weeks of speculation regarding Green Bay’s bloated salary cap, General Manager Brian Gutekunst pulled the trigger on two franchise-altering moves Monday morning. The Packers have released defensive end Rashan Gary and offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins, clearing over $39 million in cap space but stripping the roster of two veteran pillars.
The Financial Guillotine
This wasn’t a football decision; it was a survival tactic. Entering the 2026 offseason well over the cap, Green Bay had zero flexibility. Gary, whose production dipped significantly in 2025 after signing his massive extension, carried a suffocating $28 million cap hit. Jenkins, struggling through injuries and a transition to center, was set to count nearly $24.3 million against the books.
By cutting ties now, the Packers eat some dead money but open the war chest necessary to sign their rookie class and extend core pieces like Christian Watson and Devonte Wyatt. It signals a harsh reality: the “run it back” window is closed. The 2026 Packers will be younger, cheaper, and drastically different.
“It’s the ugly side of the business. You build bonds with guys in the trenches, and then one morning their lockers are empty. We know the standard doesn’t change, but losing 74 and 52… that’s a heavy hit to the culture.”
— Kenny Clark, Packers Defensive Tackle
Free Agency: Bargain Hunting in the Trenches
With the checkbook balanced, the Packers aren’t going big game hunting. The plan is surgical. Bringing back Sean Rhyan on a projected three-year, $30 million deal stabilizes the interior line without breaking the bank. Rhyan isn’t an All-Pro, but he’s a known commodity in a center class that lacks Day 1 starters.
Defensively, the connection to Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon is paying off. Expect Green Bay to target nose tackles Khyiris Tonga or Roy Lopez. Both are Gannon disciples who can eat blocks for cheap, addressing the run defense collapse we saw in the fourth quarters of 2025.
The 2026 Draft: Reloading on the Fly
With the compensatory picks projected to roll in for losing Rasheed Walker and others, Green Bay is armed with draft capital. Here is how the board falls in our latest projection.
Round 2, Pick 52: Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State
Gutekunst stops the bleeding in the secondary immediately. Igbinosun is a physical marvel—a 6’2″ corner who thrives in press coverage. He fits Gannon’s quarters-heavy scheme like a glove. While he lacks elite recovery speed, his length and aggression at the line of scrimmage make him the perfect foil to the smaller, quicker Jaire Alexander (if he remains) or Carrington Valentine.
Round 3, Pick 84: Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern
The post-Bakhtiari/Walker era requires a long-term answer. Tiernan is a massive human being (6’6″, 325 lbs) with the foot speed to protect Jordan Love’s blindside eventually. For 2026, he provides insurance behind Jordan Morgan and Zach Tom.
Round 4, Pick 120: Keylan Rutledge, OG/OC, Georgia Tech
This is the pick that defines the draft class. Rutledge is a road-grader who survived a horrific car crash in 2023 where his truck flipped into a barricade. He walked away, rehabbed, and became an All-American. He brings a nastiness to the interior line that Green Bay has missed since the days of Josh Sitton. He competes for a guard spot immediately.
Round 5, Pick 158: Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State
The steal of the draft. Singleton’s production dipped during a chaotic 2025 season at Penn State, but the traits are elite. We are talking about a 221-pound back who clocks in the 4.3s. He gives the Packers the home-run hitter they haven’t had in the backfield since Aaron Jones’ prime. Pairing him with the bruising Josh Jacobs creates a thunder-and-lightning dynamic that stresses defenses laterally.
What’s Next
The roster purge is complete. Now, the focus shifts to the scouting combine in Indianapolis later this month. Watch closely for meetings between the Packers and the top interior defensive linemen—even with the Tonga/Lopez addition, they need a long-term partner for Devonte Wyatt. The rebuild on the fly has officially begun.
