To get under the cap, the Packers delayed submitting the paperwork for DeVondre Campbell's new deal to the NFL and restructured Randall Cobb's contract, which included a pay cut.  They later restructured Adrian Amos' contract and added an additional void year.  The Packers did not extend either player.

The Packers reduced Amos' base salary from $7M to $1.12M, a difference of $5.88M and converted that amount to a signing bonus amortized over 5 years ($1.176M per year, listed below as R22).  2022 includes the last year of Amos' initial $3M signing bonus proration from the deal struck in 2019, plus restructure from 2021, and then this restructure for 2022.  The Packers generated $4.704M in cap relief for 2022 and added the same amount in dead money to 2023.  The 2021 restructure added $3.246M, so Amos now has a dead money charge of $7.95M for Amos if he is not re-signed in 2023. 

ADRIAN AMOS:

Randall Cobb agreed to reduce his $7.875M base salary by $5.8M, down to $2.075M.  The Packers agreed to insert a new $100K workout bonus and to increase his game active bonus by $450K, from $375K to $825K ($48K per game played in 2022).  Since Cobb only played in 12 games in 2021, only 12 times the $48K per game ($582K) is considered likely-to-be-earned and thus it counts immediately against the cap, so I have inserted that number into the table.  The changes result in a $5.382M reduction in his cap number.  No additional money was pushed into 2023 since this was a pay cut. The Packers pushed money into 2022 and 2023 last year when they used void years to help sign Cobb.  The Packers could have pushed a little more into 2023 but elected not to.  Thus, more cap relief was available.  A release only netted a little over $6M in cap relief, so essentially the Packers retain his services for very little cost to the cap.

RANDALL COBB:

CAP TRACKER:

Marcedes Lewis had a $2.08M roster bonus due Saturday.  Lewis already has voids in 2023 and 2024, so the Packers could save $1.386M on a simple restructure.  There have been no reports as to whether the Packers paid him that money or otherwise released, restructured or extended him.

Similarly, many expected the Packers to restructure Lazard's tender of $3.98M to save $2.4M in 2022.  The Packers restructured Tonyan's RFA tender last year to save $1.879M.  Since the Packers were not able to reach an extension by the deadline a few weeks ago, that $1.879M became a dead money charge.  Perhaps Tonyan wanted to reach free agency to check on his market value.

The contract that Davante Adams signed with the Raiders would have been the Disney deal had he agreed to the same terms with Green Bay.  Let's take a look:

DAVANTE ADAMS

His first-year cap number would have provided $12M in cap relief, and the Packers would have retained his services.  That $20M roster bonus easily could be converted to smooth out his cap numbers in 2023 and 2024.  The draftniks love receiving the 22nd and 53rd picks to play with, but even if Gutekunst successfully replaces Adams through the draft, that player is unlikely to be able to replace Adams' production in 2022, and 2022 is a big part of the "window" presumably the Packers have remaining. 

I have been chanting that the Packers have to have $11.1M in cap space for the draft picks (~$3.6M) PS, 52nd/53rd contract and a piggy bank, but those two new high draft picks have to be signed.  It looks like the cost to sign pick 22 and 53 might be about $1.6M extra.  That increase the $11.1M number to roughly $12.7M.   

It was reported that Adams was unhappy when the Packers did not extend him prior to the 2021 season, something  which I expected and wanted to happen at the time.  It was also reported that Adams was unhappy with the Packers definition of highest paid wide receiver and that they were far apart during negotiations.  Recently, it was reported that Adams really wanted to play with his old college quarterback in Las Vegas, that the Packers not only offered to match the above contract but actually offered more money, but Adams elected to leave.  I do not know whether Adams would have signed prior to the 2021 season had the Packers offered more money (perhaps something in the $25M AAV range) or if he really just wanted to play with Derek Carr, something he called a "lifelong dream." 

I just hope the Packers are not getting in the habit of annoying their players.  Harmonious relations between management and employees is desirable.  I would think that Amos would have preferred an extension to a restructure.  I hope the delay in extending Alexander is just the size of the contract, and that Jenkins and Gary are happy with the front office.

Overthecap has the Packers with roughly $20.44M in cap space.  As noted above, Green Bay needs roughly $12.7M for the draft, PS, the last two contract, and a piggy bank.  That leaves the Packers with $7.74M to spend minus whatever the first year cap numbers for Douglas and Tonyan turn out to be.  That probably means they don't have much money left to spend.  However, they still have Alexander, Lowry, Lazard, Lewis, and Crosby's contracts to manipulate if they want to generate additional cap space.