The 2022 National Football League year began Wednesday afternoon and the Green Bay Packers got under the 208.2 million dollar salary cap threshold with several moves before seeing two unrestricted free agents find new employers and making a change a punter.
The final 10.1 million dollars in cap cutting arrived with restructuring two veteran contracts. Wide receiver Randall Cobb will return this fall on a one year deal worth three million dollars, down from 8.5. Veteran safety Adrian Amos also has his contract altered to get Green Bay under the cap.
The Packers allowed punter Corey Bojorquez to depart via free agency. He was acquired from the Los Angeles Rams last fall when the team moved on from former draft choice J.K. Scott. Bojorquez was impressive in his first month with the team but his performance declined as the temperature dropped. The blocked punt in the playoff loss to the 49ers certainly wasn’t all on him but General Manager Brian Gutekunst had seen enough. The Packers have signed former Chicago Bears punter Pat O’Donnell. According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, it’s a two year, 4 million dollar contract. A sixth round pick of the Bears in 2014, O’Donnell has a career average of 45.1 yards. Last year the 32 year old, 8 year veteran’s average was 46.2 yards a punt. He also has experience as a holder. The Packers are rebuilding their special teams under newly hired coordinator Rich Bisaccia.
Rather than take on a massive cap number with veteran linebacker Za’Darius Smith who appeared in only the season opener and playoff loss a year ago after undergoing back surgery, the team let him hit the market. It didn’t take long for Smith to find work as he signed with the team that originally drafted him, a 4 year, 35 million dollar deal with the Baltimore Ravens.
Guard Lucas Patrick also departs. The former tryout player who worked his way onto the practice squad, then the active roster and eventually into the starting lineup, has signed a two year, 8 million dollar contract with the Chicago Bears.
One other note of local interest. Former Bay Port High School star and Wisconsin Badger, Alec Ingold has signed with the Miami Dolphins on a two year, 7.5 million dollar deal. The Las Vegas Raiders let the fullback walk even though he was elected a captain last year.
