Left tackle David Bakhtiari sends a message after helping the Green Bay Packers create some cap space.
The Green Bay Packers had a better than anticipated 2020 campaign, with quarterback Aaron Rodgers putting up an NFL MVP-level performance throughout. However, the team fell just short of making Super Bowl 55 after losing to the eventual champions in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Entering the new league year, Packers fans are hoping the team can make some additions to help put them over the edge and put them into the big game for the first time since the 2010 season. The problem was, they had very limited cap space. Well, that was until one man stepped up.
On Saturday, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Packers freed up $8.3 million in cap space by converting left tackle David Bakhtiari’s $11 million roster bonus into a signing bonus. After the report surfaced, Bakhtiari responded with a perfect tweet, telling the Packers “you’re welcome.”
Bakhtiari helping the Packers find extra money to spend
Bakhtiari deserves some extra credit for his perfect use of the “you’re welcome” GIF featuring former WWE wrestler Damien Sandow.
Prior to this move, the Packers were $28 million over the cap. But with the bonus conversion, the Packers are now $19.9 million over, per Over the Cap. There is still plenty of work to be done.
The Packers can’t even think about bringing in outside names from the open market because they have a total of 12 players set to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason, but the two biggest names they can focus on retaining are center Corey Linsley and running back Aaron Jones.
Linsley is one of the better centers in the game right now but will likely command a huge contract on the open market. Jones would stand a good chance of getting re-signed by Green Bay, considering how teams have no become wary of giving long-term contracts to running backs, even though he’s coming off a 1,104 rushing yard and nine touchdown campaign. Even so, Jones already has four teams interested in signing him, which works against Green Bay’s favor.
But before they can even think of re-signing players or spending money in free agency, they would have to do some extra contract restructuring or potential extensions to free up additional cap space. Readjusting Bakhtiari’s deal is a great start, though.