The Green Bay Packers made it to the NFC Championship Game but, in order to return, these five players might not be back with the team in 2020.
With Matt LaFleur at the helm as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers for the first year, his team performed quite well. Having a healthy (or healthier) Aaron Rodgers on the field certainly didn’t hurt as Green Bay went 13-3 in the regular season, which was good enough to win the NFC North. They then went to the NFC Championship Game but were, unfortunately, ousted handily by the 49ers.
Despite their success in the 2019 season, however, the Packers could be a team to make some big decisions in the 2020 offseason. They need to get Rodgers more weapons in the passing game, have shortcomings on defense to address and simply need to work to get on the level of teams that can make it to the Super Bowl.
While part of that includes who they sign in free agency and who they select in the 2020 NFL Draft, it’s also important to make the right decisions with who not to re-sign, who to possibly cut and so on. And with that all in mind, these five Packers could very well have played their last down in Green Bay. (Note: All salary cap figures are via Over the Cap.)
5. Jimmy Graham
Despite his limited production with the Seahawks, the Packers signed veteran tight end Jimmy Graham with the hopes that connecting him with Aaron Rodgers would help him return to form as one of the elite pass-catchers at the position in the NFL. Over two seasons in Green Bay, however, things have played out differently than they hoped.
Graham has, admittedly, not been unproductive for Green Bay, even playing without Rodgers for most of his first season with the team. In 2018, the Miami product had 55 catches for 636 yards and two scores. This past year, he came up with 38 receptions for 447 yards and three touchdowns. But considering his contract, that production doesn’t match what he’s being paid.
On Wednesday, NFL media’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Packers were not expected to bring back Graham for 2020 and that tracks given the situation. The team can save roughly $8 million against the salary cap by cutting the tight end and, frankly, they are looking to make big changes to the offense in terms of the pass-catchers on the roster.
It’s seemed like a logical move to make for quite some time and now Green Bay appears ready to act on that and cut ties with Graham.