Thanks to void years, Keisean Nixon will count around $2.5 million on the Green Bay Packers’ salary cap in 2023.
Adding four void years (through 2027) to his one-year deal allowed the Packers to spread out Nixon’s $1.85 million signing bonus over five seasons on the cap, lowering his cap hit in 2023 from $4,000,000 (without voids) to $2,520,000, saving $1,480,000.
As a result, when Nixon’s deal voids next year, the Packers will take on a $1,480,000 dead money hit on the salary cap because the four years of prorated bonuses ($370,000 times four void years) will accelerate to 2024.
Void years continue to be a lever the Packers are willing to pull – both in new contracts and restructures – to create cap relief in the present while kicking the proverbial can down the road.
By using void years in this situation, the Packers were able to bring back an All-Pro kick returner at around one percent of the team’s total cap in 2023 while still giving Nixon a big pay raise (made $965,000 last year). Some of the bill be paid next year, but the Packers will be in much better financial shape in 2024, especially once Aaron Rodgers is traded and his contract is wiped from the books.
You can view Nixon’s contract structure on Over the Cap.
