Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst has a solid track record in free agency, but one move two years ago on Xavier McKinney is now staring them right in the face with a massive $24.8 million question for 2027. The Packers signed McKinney to a four-year, $67 million deal back then, and it was a total home run for their defense. But what now?
McKinney’s Impact Is Undeniable, But So Is His Value
Seriously, McKinney’s impact on that Packers defense has been absolutely undeniable. He’s not just making plays, he’s become one of their most important leaders on the field. From a business standpoint, this guy only just turned 27 years old, which is huge. If he plays out the remaining two years of his current deal and hits free agency again, he’ll still only be 29. That’s prime-time stuff, and he’d be looking for a fat new deal. The problem? His current $16.75 million AAV (Average Annual Value) already ranks seventh in the NFL among safeties. Guys like Derwin James are leading the market at $25.2 million. McKinney knows his value has climbed, and he’d likely be totally open to an early extension right now because his contract has officially fallen behind the top guys.
The Cap Crunch Is Real: How an Extension Could Change Everything
Here’s where it gets wild: The Packers already restructured McKinney’s contract this offseason to free up cap room for 2026. The consequence? His cap hit for 2027, the final year of his deal, shot up to a whopping $24.8 million. Think about that: Green Bay is projected to be less than $200,000 *under* the estimated 2027 salary cap. They’re sitting on $27.9 million under the 2026 cap, which they’ll likely roll over, but that $24.8 million hit is still a monster. If they extend McKinney now, they could significantly lower his 2027 cap hit. We’re talking about a potential new AAV possibly around $25.2 million, but the first-year cap hit in these extensions is often half that. That means his 2027 cap hit could feasibly be around $12.6 million. That’s a massive difference, giving them way more flexibility in the short term.
Early Bird Gets The Cap Space, Or Do They Wait?
This is the big dilemma for Gutekunst. If they’re confident McKinney’s play isn’t going to drop off in his age 29 and 30 seasons, getting a deal done early makes total sense. They could structure it to allow an out in his 30s, as teams traditionally do. The biggest caveat? By this time next year, the Packers will also be looking at extensions for other defensive backs like Evan Williams and Javon Bullard. They might want to hold off on committing too many resources to the safety position all at once. Waiting until next offseason means assessing all their options, but McKinney seems like the kind of player, a true pillar of the franchise, they’d be willing to give a rare third contract. Does Gutekunst act now and secure their defensive leader, or does he play the waiting game and risk that massive cap hit or even losing McKinney? This is definitely one to watch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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