Packers Tough Decisions: Amos, Turner, Lowry, Cobb
GREEN BAY, Wis. – A key offseason is here for the Green Bay Packers. The decisions that general manager Brian Gutekunst makes in the next five weeks to navigate through a $50 million hole in the salary cap will determine whether the Packers will contend for a Super Bowl in 2022.
This series of stories focuses on the critical decisions that lie ahead. Part 1 focuses on safety Adrian Amos, right tackle Billy Turner, receiver Randall Cobb and defensive lineman Dean Lowry, four useful veterans with uncertain futures.
In a perfect world, these would be easy decisions for Gutekunst and his right-hand man, Russ Ball. In fact, they wouldn’t be decisions at all. However, the empty stadiums during the COVID-plagued 2020 season meant diminished salary caps in 2021 and 2022. Gutekunst restructured those four contracts last year to make the finances work. Thus, their final seasons under contract won’t be cheap.
Keep or Release Adrian Amos?
Financial decision: Amos’ cap number will be $11.98 million, seventh-highest on the team. Releasing him would save $4.65 million against the cap but result in $7.33 million of dead money. (Dead money is money that’s on the salary cap for a player no longer on the roster.)
Personnel decision: Amos started all 17 games and led the defense with 1,048 snaps. Mr. Consistency was second on the team with 94 tackles, tied for third with two interceptions and fourth with eight passes defensed. He added another interception in the playoffs. He’s in the right place at the right time every time, it seems, and generally makes the tackle.
Amos will turn 29 in April. He’s on top of his game and, without an obvious replacement on the roster, he could be the target for a contract extension that would tie him to Green Bay for an additional two or three seasons while cutting his 2022 cap charge. It’s simply impossible to argue the team would be better off without him.
Keep or Release Randall Cobb?
Financial decision: Cobb’s cap number will be $9.53 million, eighth-highest on the team. Releasing him would save $6.75 million against the cap but result in $2.78 million of dead money.
Personnel decision: The finances probably make this a no-brainer. That’s a heck of a lot of money for a player who caught 28 passes in 2021 and has 816 receiving yards the past two seasons.
However, Aaron Rodgers wanted Cobb here in 2021, so Gutekunst made it happen. What if Rodgers wants Cobb back in 2022? The great unknown is how much third-round pick Amari Rodgers developed behind the scenes. He barely played as a rookie but the coaches probably have a good feel of his game by now.
Splitting the difference, perhaps Cobb – who will turn 32 during training camp – would be amenable to returning on a lesser contract.
Keep or Release Billy Turner?
Financial decision: Turner’s cap number will be $9.62 million, ninth-highest on the team. Releasing him would save $3.36 million against the cap but result in $5.81 million of dead money.
Personnel decision: There are a couple layers to this decision. First, what’s the long-term plan for Elgton Jenkins? He was a Pro Bowl left guard in 2020 and played quite well at left tackle in 2021. Do the coaches see him as a right tackle? If so, perhaps Yosh Nijman could hold down the fort at right tackle until Jenkins is back from his torn ACL. Or, they could re-sign Dennis Kelly to keep the seat warm for Jenkins. Or, maybe Nijman played so well in 2021 that he’s earned a shot to start in 2022. Unlike with Amos, there are good options.
But let’s not overlook the fact that Turner is a good player and not just a high-priced player. Sports Info Solutions charged him with only one sack in starting the first 13 games of the 2021 season. The Packers had their obvious problems against the 49ers in the playoff game but Turner’s move to left tackle was not one of them. He’ll turn 31 in October. With the dead money being more than the cap savings, maybe the team should just keep him at right tackle and call it good.
Keep or Release Dean Lowry?
Financial decision: Lowry’s cap number will be $8.07 million, 11th-highest on the team. Releasing him would save $4.08 million against the cap but result in $3.99 million of dead money.
Personnel decision: For the third consecutive season, Lowry started every game. He delivered a career-high five sacks. According to Pro Football Focus, he added a career-high 42 pressures – more than the previous two seasons combined. His run defense wasn’t nearly as good, and he hasn’t made a single impact play in eight playoff games.
But Green Bay’s defensive line wasn’t good enough even with Lowry. Perhaps fifth-round pick TJ Slaton will be ready to move into the starting lineup but the depth is still lacking after dumping Kingsley Keke late in the season. The Packers simply have not invested in this position (other than Kenny Clark). Lowry will turn only 28 in June.
