Ranking Packers' Next Extension Candidates After Record David Bakhtiari Contract
The Green Bay Packers may have locked up their star offensive tackle David Bakhtiari, but there are a few other key players the franchise also needs to retain.
Bakhtiari landed a massive four-year contract extension this weekend, making him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The 29-year-old has protected Aaron Rodgers' blind side since 2013 and has made two Pro Bowl appearances over that span.
With their starting left tackle staying put, the Packers now have to negotiate with a number of other soon-to-be free agents. Nearly 30 players on the roster are set to hit free agency this offseason, either as unrestricted or restricted free agents. With Green Bay projected to have less than $4 million in cap space for 2021, general manager Brian Gutekunst will have some difficult decisions to make in the coming months.
The Packers will need to make some moves to manage their cap space, but there are still a few players with expiring contracts who are strong candidates for extensions given the lack of depth at their positions and their contributions to the team.
5. Robert Tonyan
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With so many injuries at wide receiver this season, the Packers have asked tight end Robert Tonyan to take on an increased role at times in the passing game. That has resulted in a career year from the 26-year-old to give him a strong case for a new contract.
Tonyan had a relatively quiet first few seasons in the league, going undrafted in 2017 before making his NFL debut the following year. He caught just 14 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns in his first two seasons on the field despite appearing in 27 games.
Even with Marcedes Lewis and Jace Sternberger competing for reps, Tonyan has found a way to establish himself within the offense this year. He's already put up career-high numbers across the board, hauling in 27 of his 32 targets for 347 yards and five touchdowns.
Rodgers and head coach Matt LaFleur have made sure to get Tonyan involved in the passing game almost every week. He proved his worth in Week 4 against the Atlanta Falcons with a three-touchdown game as the team played without its top two receivers in Davante Adams and Allen Lazard.
Keeping Tonyan will likely be a priority for the Packers. Lewis will also be a free agent, but at 36 years old, he may be nearing the end of his NFL career. Tonyan is only 26 years old and developing into a trusted weapon for Rodgers, so that will make it harder for the Packers to let him walk.
As a restricted free agent, Tonyan could receive interest from teams willing to pay more than whatever the Packers extend as a qualifying offer. That doesn't make him less of a priority to bring back, but it could make it more difficult for the Packers to do so.
4. Kevin King
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The Packers have a few defensive backs hitting free agency in 2021, but Kevin King is the one with the trickiest contract to negotiate. That doesn't mean that he's not deserving of an extension, assuming that the price is right.
When healthy, King has been an ideal partner to Jaire Alexander at cornerback. He's coming off a career year in 2019 in which he played in 15 games with 66 combined tackles, five interceptions and 15 pass deflections.
Unfortunately, staying on the field has been an issue. Not only did he miss 18 games in his first three seasons, but he's also missed the past five games due to a nagging quadriceps injury.
King's absence has left the Packers thin at cornerback, but he's had a positive impact whenever he's been on the field. That makes contract negotiations tricky since King could want a big payday given how well he's played, while the Packers could use his injury history as leverage to get a more team-friendly deal. King has also only had one productive season, which could make it harder for his agent to negotiate for a bigger contract.
Gutekunst may consider letting King walk in favor of bringing back a player like Chandon Sullivan on a cheaper deal. However, if he stays healthy and has a big impact in the second half of the season, it would likely persuade the Packers to offer him a long-term deal.
3. Allen Lazard
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The Packers opted out of drafting a wide receiver this past offseason, instead relying on in-house players such as Allen Lazard while signing Devin Funchess in free agency. Considering how thin they are at the position with Funchess opting out, bringing Lazard back for 2021 and beyond is sure to be a top priority.
Lazard has been out since suffering a core muscle injury in Week 3. It was frustrating for everyone involved since the 24-year-old had a career night in that game against the New Orleans Saints, catching six passes for 146 yards and a touchdown.
The good news for Packers fans is that Lazard is expected to be back this week against the Indianapolis Colts per Rapoport. It will be a big lift for an offense that has struggled to find a consistent weapon to take pressure off of Davante Adams. Marquez Valdes-Scantling has stepped up the past couple of games, but his inconsistency in recent seasons has made it difficult to tell if this is a sign that he's finally turned the corner.
When at their best, Valdes-Scantling and Lazard give the Packers a solid pair of receivers capable of making plays. However, when one of them is struggling or hurt, the Packers don't have many reliable options behind them.
That lack of depth makes Lazard a top candidate to receive an extension. Since he has yet to string together a full season of impressive play, the Packers should be able to keep him on a reasonable deal that won't break the bank.
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2. Aaron Jones
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Giving a star running back a massive contract extension can be risky, but Aaron Jones has made a compelling case the past couple of years for the Packers to pay him big money.
Jones led the league in 2019 with 16 rushing touchdowns and 19 total scores, adding 1,558 yards from scrimmage. Despite not receiving any national recognition for his impressive season, Jones hasn't seemed to let that slow him down this year.
In seven games, Jones has already racked up another 724 total yards and seven touchdowns this season. His impact as both a runner and receiver makes him one of the most valuable players at his position, which means that he'll be expecting a major pay raise this offseason. However, analysts over the past few seasons have argued against paying big money to running backs given the lack of relative long-term value at the position.
The Carolina Panthers' Christian McCaffrey has been a case study for this argument this season. He signed a massive $64 million extension in the offseason but has only played in three games this year, while his backup Mike Davis has put up 675 total yards and four touchdowns while counting for just $3 million against the cap.
It will be a tough decision for the Packers front office, but Jones has been such a dynamic playmaker for the offense that he should still be in the running to receive a long-term extension.
1. Corey Linsley
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With one starting offensive lineman locked up, Gutekunst will likely turn his attention to keeping center Corey Linsley locked up for the next few years.
Like Bakhtiari, Linsley has been a staple of the Packers offensive line for the better part of the past decade. A fifth-round pick in 2014, Linsley was named the starting center as a rookie and has kept the job ever since.
Linsley's durability has been impressive, missing just 10 games over career. The last matchup he missed was back in 2016. Penalties haven't been an issue for him either, according to Pro Football Reference. He's only been penalized 12 times over his career and just twice since 2018.
A new contract for Linsley won't be cheap. His most recent contract was a three-year deal worth $25.5 million, so an even bigger extension would be realistic considering he's only 29 years old and hasn't shown any signs of regression. He could ask for a similar contract to Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly, who received a four-year, $50 million extension in September.
Getting Linsley a new contract could make it hard for the Packers to keep other impending free agents, but his durability and consistency make him the most important player for Green Bay to bring back this offseason.
All contract information courtesy of Spotrac.
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