3 Packers Veterans Who Could Be Cut After the NFL Draft
By Adam Weinrib
The Green Bay Packers have a viable path to contention as long as Aaron Rodgers is under center, but there are still notable upgrades to come in the 2020 NFL Draft.
For better or worse, they let their linebacking corps walk hand-in-hand to the New York Giants, and their stout O-line started to look a lot more like patchwork as the 2019 season progressed, resulting in Jared Veldheer walking off the couch and into the NFC title game. And, oh yeah, as always: Aaron needs more and better wideouts.
As the Pack prepare to reinforce their roster, these three Green Bay vets with very little dead cap space behind them could be on their way out.
3. Equanimeous St. Brown, WR
No matter how much we enjoy rolling their names over, the Packers have too many wideouts who don't contribute nearly enough at this point, and appear ready to target a significant upgrade, potentially even in the first round. St. Brown gets the nod over Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Allen Lazard; the Notre Dame wideout caught 21 balls for 328 yards in 2018, but hit IR with a high ankle sprain before 2019 began. He'll cost under $60k in dead cap if he's replaced on draft night.
2. Montravius Adams, DT
Adams has yet to make a significant impact in three years in Green Bay, starting just three games over the course of his 2.5 seasons after leaving Auburn. Entering his final season before free agency, he remains a fringy target who'd only cost $186k in dead money to slice off the roster. In terms of marginal pieces the Packers could clearly afford to lose, Adams' absence won't be missed.
1. Lane Taylor, G
Once thought of as the most rock-solid member of the Packers' aging line (making 45 starts in three years), Taylor missed the vast majority of 2019 with a biceps injury, and found himself towards the bottom of PFF's rankings in '18, allowing eight sacks and 36 pressures. Now in his final season before free agency, we're confident the Pack could find an adequate replacement in the second or third round, absorbing his $1.375 million dead cap hit in the process.