Green Bay Inside linebacker De’Vondre Campbell will be cut by the Green Bay Packers on Wednesday, clearing more than $10 million in salary cap space, a source informed PackersNews.
At 3 p.m. on Wednesday, the NFL’s new calendar year will officially begin, and the Packers will be making their move in tandem with free agency.
They will have more salary cap room if they wait until Wednesday rather than cutting him immediately and being able to designate his release as of June 1.
In order to have the option of becoming a player in free agency, the Packers have been making moves that will free up salary cap space.
They might go after a safety and possibly players in different positions. They also wish to re-sign a number of their own free agents, including tight end Tyler Davis, linebacker Eric Wilson, and cornerback/returner Keisean Nixon among others.
Although teams cannot sign free agents until the actual start of free agency, they can begin negotiations with them on Monday.
With Campbell out of the picture, the Packers will have $10.57 million in cap space when the 2019 season kicks off, keeping them more than $20 million under the $255.4 million salary cap.
Depending on any subsequent movements made and accounting adjustments, their official number may differ when the league releases its official calculations.
Inside linebacker Quay Walker will be paired with a younger player in the new 4-3 defense under head coach Jeff Hafley, as the team plans to play Walker on the weakside in order to give him more freedom to move around the field.
Although Campbell is paid too much to be a part-time player and plays a lot of nickel, he could have played strong-side, where he will only see approximately 25% of the snaps.
During his 2021 All-Pro season, 31-year-old Campbell accomplished everything. With 145 tackles, two sacks, four quarterback hits, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, and five passes defensed in 16 games, he was the Packers’ greatest all-around player when he inked a one-year, $2 million contract.
As the first Packer to do it since Ray Nitschke in 1966, he was selected first-team All-Pro.
Prior to the next season, the Packers inked him to a five-year, $50 million contract. His $2.9 million roster bonus was supposed to be paid on Friday, but after his release on Wednesday, the Packers won’t have to pay it.
Thanks to contract restructures that pushed charges into future years, Campbell will still count $3.65 million against the cap this year.
