Brandon McManus

[tynimiller]

That all sounds wonderful. Right up until Malik becomes our Starter and it’s 10 minutes remaining in the 4th Quarter of a Divisional game and we are up 21-17 and a long 6-7 minute TD drive puts them away.
Then that futuristic Tyron Hopper selection doesn’t sound so good!
Watch him become a HOF player now!

For me, it makes perfect sense in a Rebuild, my opinion would change rapidly. I’d be promoting draft picks and having a fire sale. Here we are coming off what’s likely a 12+ Win season. One which we might not have even qualified for with 10 Wins had Malik not so eloquently come in and surprised.

If you're in a rebuild you would move Love not Willis thinking forward cheaper.

There is a TON of reasons and defense to both keeping Willis or moving him.

Fiscally this team on the horizon of the future have a TON of fiscal decisions impending that will take more than minimums:

This offseason - Myers, McManus, Stokes, TJ Slaton....heading into the 2025 draft year
Next offseason - Watson, Willis, Doubs, Rhyan, Tom, Enagbare, Rasheed Walker...heading into 2026 draft year
The year after that - Quay, Nixon, Wyatt, Musgrave, Reed, Kraft, Wooden, Brooks, Wicks, Valentine...heading to the 2027 draft year

*If you trade Willis this off season before the draft, you can attempt to possibly make the departure of THREE starting offensive lineman in Tom, Rhyan and Walker the following year manageable.

Now if you keep him for 2025 but trade him in that season for 2026 draft return you have a stab at replacing maybe a TE knowing Musgrave and Kraft are both done next...or grab a DL replacement for Wooden, Wyatt, Brooks all in final year...

If you keep Willis the entire 2025 season and let him sign a FA contract you will be getting a 2027 draft pick, which is fine and who knows could be as high as the rare 3rd round compensatory picks sometimes that happen - but you don't get a chance to take a swing at preparing for any of the above mentioned guys that are swaths of specific position groups at a time.

This is a perfect example of the decisions I would want no part of Gute's job...their is immense value in having Willis as your backup it seems...there is also immense value in having an additional top 100 pick to hopefully make resigning a guy not as "dire". I'm just happy this is a decision we are facing because that means we hit on Willis of course.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

If you keep Willis the entire 2025 season and let him sign a FA contract you will be getting a 2027 draft pick

Not necessarily. It would all depend on who the Packers sign in Free Agency in 2026. But yes, Willis signing elsewhere, would give the Packers plus points on the good side of the leger when computing comp picks.

 

[tynimiller]

Not necessarily. It would all depend on who the Packers sign in Free Agency in 2026. But yes, Willis signing elsewhere, would give the Packers plus points on the good side of the leger when computing comp picks.

I highly doubt with the contracts impending after 2025 we won't be spenders that off season at all heading into 2026 unless some unforeseen decisions to not sign any or hardly any of them.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I highly doubt with the contracts impending after 2025 we won't be spenders that off season at all heading into 2026 unless some unforeseen decisions to not sign any or hardly any of them.

The Packers are in great cap shape moving forward, at least into 2025. So with not many pressing new big contracts after this season, they could use some of that money to give out new contracts to those expiring at the end of 2026. Just never know what Gute and Ball will do with those cap numbers.

Updated Packers cap space should concern the rest of the NFL in 2025

A quick look at the Green Bay Packers' salary cap situation is exciting ahead of an important offseason for this team.

lombardiave.com

 

[Voyageur]

The Packers are in great cap shape moving forward, at least into 2025. So with not many pressing new big contracts after this season, they could use some of that money to give out new contracts to those expiring at the end of 2026. Just never know what Gute and Ball will do with those cap numbers.

Updated Packers cap space should concern the rest of the NFL in 2025

A quick look at the Green Bay Packers' salary cap situation is exciting ahead of an important offseason for this team.

lombardiave.com

That's a great article. That cap space is something that the Packers can use without putting themselves in a bad spot down the road. Those big contracts that for guys no longer around are a back breaker. What makes it even more interesting is that they can pay bucks up front and not have it backloaded on a contract where they eat it in the end.

We may be looking at building a DYNASTY!!!!!!!!

 

[tynimiller]

The Packers are in great cap shape moving forward, at least into 2025. So with not many pressing new big contracts after this season, they could use some of that money to give out new contracts to those expiring at the end of 2026. Just never know what Gute and Ball will do with those cap numbers.

Updated Packers cap space should concern the rest of the NFL in 2025

A quick look at the Green Bay Packers' salary cap situation is exciting ahead of an important offseason for this team.

lombardiave.com

Yup, I actually predict Tom or Rasheed getting extensions is more likely than not - which eliminates that off season where we lose three of our starters along the OL. Truthfully everyone is thinking Watson or Doubs....there is a chance Gute has a lot more conversations with staff and Russ about what two of the starting three (Walker, Rhyan and Tom) are we resigning?

**I'd honestly embrace an announcement that we are extending say Tom this year with two or three year extension and use some of this year's space to cover portion of it without changing much forward still.

 

[tynimiller]

Truth be told Walker and Tom could both be resigned and shore up both ends of our line for years, BUT the cost would be decent chunk of change!!

 

[OldSchool101]

1000% agree. I said it earlier in the season, nothing but a first rounder or early 2nd rounder makes me part with Malik Willis in 2025. Cheap contract, ton of experience and a proven track record as a guy that can come in as the starter or off the bench and play well. It really is hard to put a price tag on a quality backup like Willis, but a 3rd rounder or later? No Thanks. This will be a solid roster in 2025, one that should be in contention, that is unless Love gets injured and all they got is a rookie or Sean Clifford to fill in.

Just something to pair with that. Our 3rd Round success has been less than stellar, so maybe that’s clouding my opinion. I’ll be honest though if someone came in with top 50 area collateral I might rethink my position. That firepower gets my attention.

One thing that’s helped is our number of recent draft picks. We haven’t even really got Marshawn or Hopper going. So for me adding another one isn’t that appealing. It’s like we’ve already got that 3rd on board.

Come on with an aggressive offer.
Top 50 and swap your 4th for my 5th and I’ll send him to you overnight delivery with lunch packed

 

[JPPT1974]

Yeah as the FG team and getting a consistent kicker despite the recent off the field troubles, need McManus to step on up.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Just something to pair with that. Our 3rd Round success has been less than stellar, so maybe that’s clouding my opinion. I’ll be honest though if someone came in with top 50 area collateral I might rethink my position. That firepower gets my attention.

For those that would consider trading Willis away after this season, answer me these questions:

1. Who do you replace him with?
2. What resources will you use to obtain his replacement?
3. How will his replacement do if Love goes down?
4. What are the stats of all Packer back-ups pre Love (Matt Flynn's crazy last game of the season against the Lions aside)?

With Malik, The Packers invested what will end up being one of the last 15 or so picks in the draft. He will have a cap hit of $1.4M next season. Hard to find as impactful player as Malik has been/can be, with that kind of investment.

 

[Firethorn1001]

Backup QB is way undervalued. I have no issues with a 1st-3rd being used to shore up that position for 4-5 years rather than perpetually trying to draft some 7th round project guy in hopes that he learns something in 4 years. Why I had no issue with the drafting of Love. We did that this year and kept Pratt or Clifford we are looking at probably a 9-6 or 8-7 record right now.

If it's a 1st/high 2nd, I'll listen. 3rd or later? Nope. I'll keep him for another year and probably get a compensatory draft pick equal to that offer and have a security blanket in 2025.

 

[OldSchool101]

For those that would consider trading Willis away after this season, answer me these questions:

1. Who do you replace him with?
2. What resources will you use to obtain his replacement?
3. How will his replacement do if Love goes down?
4. What are the stats of all Packer back-ups pre Love (Matt Flynn's crazy last game of the season against the Lions aside)?

I’m bored so playing Devils advocate for pro trade.

While I haven’t researched the direct names, in most seasons there are a group of veterans that are lower end Starter types. In recent past teams signed some very good backups in that $5-8mil area. Probably as formidable as Willis but without long term upside which we won’t benefit from anyway. I suspect a $6-7m veteran is going to win more games than not with a D allowing under 20 points per and a good OL with Top 5 Rushing. We’ve been running 53% of time anyway so that takes immense pressure off a backup. Matt Flynn ($1.3X1.5 seasons)was not a seasoned $6-$7mil year quality level backup. The Packers paid him about $3-4Mil tops for his services in real time $$. About 50% of what I’d top off at to get a good backup.

The trade off here in my scenario?
a Top 50 selection in real time.
I’d do what Gute does and move back to #55-60 overall for a 4th or 5th Rounder.
Yes we’d spend 2X$12mil at QB2 to replace Willis. Offset is we could be looking at picking with draft authority. Plus getting 2 players under 4 year Rookie $

Start by getting our CB and DE in FA with known veteran quantities. Then draft here

#32 OT (Rasheed successor)
#56 WR (Watson or Doubs successor)
#64 DT (Wyatt successor)
#96 LB (Quay successor)
#123 OC/G (Myers Successor to compete with Monk (5th/4th swap asked from Willis trade)
#131 TE (natural)
#134 CB (Compensatory trade back from #50 to#56)