Only the Carolina Panthers will spend fewer salary cap dollars on the offensive side of the ball in 2023 than the Green Bay Packers, who are in the early stages of a youth movement at quarterback, wide receiver and tight end.
According to Over the Cap, the Packers are currently spending $81.6 million on offensive players in 2023 (not counting dead money). The Panthers will spend the fewest on offense at $76.6 million.
Overall, only six teams are spending under $100 million on offense in 2023.
These offseason cap numbers will change once teams cut rosters from 90 players to 53 before the start of the regular season, but it’s hard to imagine the Packers not being one of the cheapest teams on the offensive side come Week 1.
The Packers rank 28th in spending at quarterback ($5.99 million), 32nd in spending at wide receiver ($10.1 million) and 27th in spending at tight end ($5.6 million). Brian Gutekunst’s team is also 32nd in spending at wide receiver and tight end combined.
Green Bay has a little under $22 million commited to quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends, which also ranks last among all teams.
The Packers have first-year starter Jordan Love on the cap at under $5 million, and every player at wide receiver or tight end is either on a rookie deal or similarly qualifying entry level deal.
For reference, the Packers are counting $40.3 million in dead money cap space on Aaron Rodgers, who was traded to the New York Jets. Rodgers’ dead money cap hit is actually the biggest single cap hit any team is counting on their cap in 2023.
So, what’s the point here? To present the reality of the situation for this team: a huge part of the Packers’ salary cap in 2023 is being spent on Rodgers, and the end result of taking on such a massive dead money cap hit is having to go exceedingly young, inexperienced and cheap at quarterback, receiver and tight end.
Last year, the Steelers ranked last in cap spending on offense. Pittsburgh finished the year ranked 26th in scoring with rookie Kenny Pickett starting 12 games. In 2021, the Eagles ranked last in spending but finished 12th in points under first-year starter Jalen Hurts. The Packers will hope they are more 2021 Eagles than 2022 Steelers, and that’s probably a reasonable hope given the returning talent at running back and the offensive line.
The 2023 season is both a transition year (Rodgers to Love) and a get-healthy year financially. The offense, while enticing, is incredibly young at key spots and will undoubtedly go through growing pains.
