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Packers contracts explained

Every figure is from cited public reporting, checked 2026-11-12.

Flagship contract · EDGE

Micah Parsons: Cheap through 2027, then the bill arrives

3.8xExtremely backloaded
2026 cap hit$19.2MPeak (2029)$73.8M
What's a backload score?

The biggest cap hit left on the deal divided by this season's cap hit, from one reported schedule. 1.0x is flat; 3x means the bill triples later. Restructures and void years push it up.

4-year, $186M extension (Aug 2025, after the trade from Dallas). $120M fully guaranteed at signing, $44M signing bonus. Option bonuses of $38M (2026), $34.443M (2027) and $27.5M (2028), each spread over five years for cap purposes once exercised, with void years added on the back end.

Cap hits calculated from ProFootballTalk's full term sheet, assuming the Packers exercise all three option bonuses (the way the deal is built to work): signing bonus spread $8.8M a year, plus each option spread over five years, plus salary and bonuses. When the deal voids in 2030, about $37.88M of remaining option money hits that year's cap. Last Word on Sports lists his current 2026 cap hit as $19,201,706.

3.8x: his peak cap hit (2029, $73.8M) is 3.8 times his 2026 cap hit ($19.2M).

The GM view: Extremely backloaded. Green Bay gets a superstar cheaply for 2025-27, then the cap hit nearly triples by 2029, and void years leave dead money after he is gone. Expect an extension or restructure before 2028. He is coming back from a torn ACL first.

Sources: ProFootballTalk (Mike Florio), 'Inside the Micah Parsons deal', Aug 29, 2025 (full term sheet) · Packers On SI (Bill Huber, Ken Ingalls), 'Explaining option bonuses', Sept 3, 2025 (at-signing cap hits, Gutekunst quote) · Pro Football Rumors, citing Tom Pelissero and Matt Schneidman, Aug 2025 · Last Word on Sports, current 2026 cap hits, Sept 30, 2026

All 9 tracked deals

  1. Micah ParsonsEDGE · Cheap through 2027, then the bill arrives3.8x$19.2M in 2026
  2. Tucker KraftTE · Signed the day before Week 1, and cheap until 20293.1x$6.80M in 2026

    4-year, $75M extension (Sept 12, 2026) through 2030, worth up to $92M. The $26.5M signing bonus, believed to be the biggest ever for a tight end, is the only guaranteed money. Roster bonuses of $4.43M are due in each of 2027 and 2028.

    Cap hits from Packers Wire (Zach Kruse, Sept 12, 2026), using Over The Cap and Rob Demovsky's reporting. Packers Wire's list shows '$680,897' for 2026, but its own text says $6.8M, and Pro Football Rumors (Sept 14, citing Demovsky) says $6.83M, so we use $6.8M. Demovsky noted the numbers weren't final until the contract was filed. Roster bonuses: Pro Football Rumors (citing Demovsky) reports $4.43M in each of 2027 and 2028, which we use; Packers Wire describes 'almost $13 million' across those two years.

    3.1x: his peak cap hit (2029, $21.3M) is 3.1 times his 2026 cap hit ($6.80M).

    • $18.75M a year puts him just behind George Kittle and Trey McBride among tight ends.
    • He's coming off a torn ACL from Nov 2025.

    The GM view: A classic Packers deal: the signing bonus is the only guarantee, with outs every March.

    Sources: Packers Wire (Zach Kruse), Sept 12, 2026 · Pro Football Rumors (Connor Byrne), citing Adam Schefter, Tom Silverstein and Rob Demovsky, Sept 12-14, 2026 · Packers.com (team announcement), Sept 12, 2026

  3. Devonte WyattDT · An extension that cut this year's cap hit2.7x$8.44M in 2026

    3-year, $57M extension (July 2026) through 2029. The $20M signing bonus is the only full guarantee. Roster bonuses of $7.3M (2027) and $7M (2028) are due in March, plus up to $1M a year in per-game bonuses.

    Cap hits from A to Z Sports (Wendell Ferreira, July 31, 2026), citing ESPN's Rob Demovsky. Last Word on Sports (Sept 30, 2026) still lists $12.94M for 2026, the pre-extension fifth-year option figure ($8.438M + $4.5M).

    2.7x: his peak cap hit (2028, $22.8M) is 2.7 times his 2026 cap hit ($8.44M).

    • The deal lowered his 2026 cap hit by $4.5M.
    • 2028 and 2029 work like team options, with no guarantees.

    The GM view: Green Bay paid for upside, saved cap this year, and kept every exit open.

    Sources: A to Z Sports (Wendell Ferreira), citing Rob Demovsky, July 31, 2026 · Packers.com (team announcement), 2026 · Last Word on Sports (David Keech), Packers 2026 cap hits, Sept 30, 2026

  4. Christian WatsonWR · Reported at $110M, but the real deal is $92M2.6x$11.2M in 2026

    4-year extension (June 4, 2026) with a $92M base value, up to about $110M with incentives. The $31M signing bonus is the only guaranteed money. A $13M roster bonus in 2028 is Green Bay's decision point, and $8.5M in per-game roster bonuses protect against injuries.

    Cap hits from Acme Packing Company's full contract table (Evan Western, June 9, 2026), based on Rob Demovsky's reporting. APC notes the real 2026 number is about $10.4M because only 10/17 of his per-game bonuses count this year. Last Word on Sports lists $10.52M (Sept 30, 2026).

    2.6x: his peak cap hit (2029, $29.2M) is 2.6 times his 2026 cap hit ($11.2M).

    • The cap hit more than doubles in 2028 if Green Bay pays the roster bonus.
    • APC expects the 2028 bonus to be restructured, which would drop that year's hit to about $14-16M.

    The GM view: Two cheap years to prove he's healthy, then the Packers decide.

    Sources: Acme Packing Company (Evan 'Tex' Western), June 9, 2026 · Packers Wire (Zach Kruse), citing Over The Cap, June 9, 2026 · Last Word on Sports (David Keech), Packers 2026 cap hits, Sept 30, 2026

  5. Zach Bako-BeweleRT · Two years locked in, then team options2.5x$12.1M in 2026

    4-year, $88M extension (July 2025). $30.2M signing bonus is the only fully guaranteed money.

    Projected cap hits at signing, before any restructures (July 2025).

    2.5x: his peak cap hit (2029, $30M) is 2.5 times his 2026 cap hit ($12.1M).

    • Formerly Zach Tom. He changed his last name to Bako-Bewele in August 2026 to honor his Nigerian ancestry (AP and Packers.com, Aug 2, 2026).
    • Cash is front-loaded ($31.5M in 2025), but the cap hits climb every year.
    • From 2028 on, the deal works like team options for Green Bay.
    • His current 2026 cap hit is $11.83M (Last Word on Sports, Sept 30, 2026).

    The GM view: A classic Packers deal: big signing bonus, rising salaries, easy exits later. Backloaded on paper, but the team holds the cards.

    Sources: Acme Packing Company (Justis Mosqueda), July 29, 2025 · NFL.com, July 2025 · Last Word on Sports, Sept 30, 2026 · AP News, Aug 2, 2026 · Packers.com, Aug 2, 2026

  6. Jordan LoveQB · Comfortable now, enormous in 20282.1x$36.2M in 2026

    4-year, $220M extension (July 2024). Record $75M signing bonus. $100.8M fully guaranteed at signing; rolling guarantees brought the practical guarantee to $160.3M.

    Cap hits as reported at signing (July 2024). Three void years leave about $34.7M of dead cap in 2029.

    2.1x: his peak cap hit (2028, $74.2M) is 2.1 times his 2026 cap hit ($36.2M).

    • His 2026 cap hit is about $36.2M, which is a bargain for a starting quarterback.
    • 2028 jumps to $74.2M, and the void years leave about $34.7M of dead money behind after that.

    The GM view: Built to be cheap while he is young and expensive at the end. Like Parsons' deal, the 2028 number is a placeholder for the next extension, and both deals get expensive at the same time.

    Sources: ProFootballTalk (Mike Florio), 'Inside the Jordan Love deal', July 2024 · Packers Wire (Zach Kruse with cap analyst Ken Ingalls), July 29, 2024

  7. Josh JacobsRB · Cuttable after this season1.1x$14.6M in 2026

    4-year, $48M deal (March 2024). The $12.5M signing bonus is the only guaranteed money.

    Cap hits as reported at signing (March 2024).

    1.1x: his peak cap hit (2027, $16.6M) is 1.1 times his 2026 cap hit ($14.6M).

    • The Packers announced Nov 9, 2026, that he will have surgery this week on a broken finger and will miss time.
    • Releasing him after 2026 would save about $13.5M against the 2027 cap, as reported at signing.

    The GM view: Not very backloaded, but nothing is guaranteed after this year, so 2027 is a real decision.

    Sources: Lombardi Ave, March 2024 · Packers On SI, March 2024 · Packers.com, Jacobs to miss time for finger surgery, Nov 9, 2026

  8. Xavier McKinneyS · Restructured for 2026 cap roomNo score$9.86M in 2026

    4-year, $67M deal (March 2024). The $23M signing bonus was the only fully guaranteed money, with $8.5M roster bonuses in 2025 and 2026.

    His 2026 cap hit as reported Sept 30, 2026. Future cap hits after the March 2026 restructure are not in reporting we can cite, so there is no score.

    No backload score: Year-by-year cap hits beyond 2026 are not yet reported in sources we can cite.

    • His roster bonuses were built to work like team options and to be restructured when Green Bay needs cap space (Packers Wire via VCP Football).
    • Restructures move money into later years; they do not erase it.

    The GM view: Green Bay borrowed from the future to fit this year's roster. Expect a bigger number in 2027.

    Sources: VCP Football, citing ESPN's Rob Demovsky, March 13, 2024 · Last Word on Sports, 'Top Green Bay Packers Salary Cap Hits', Sept 30, 2026

  9. Aaron BanksG · A two-year deal with two team optionsNo score$12M in 2026

    4-year, $77M deal (March 2025). The $27M signing bonus is the only guarantee, with a $9.5M roster bonus due in 2026.

    His 2026 cap hit as reported Sept 30, 2026. A full year-by-year schedule is not in reporting we can cite, so there is no score.

    No backload score: Year-by-year cap hits beyond 2026 are not yet reported in sources we can cite.

    • He made $47.5M in cash over the first two seasons.
    • 2027 ($15.5M) and 2028 ($14M) work like team options the Packers can decline.

    The GM view: Front-loaded in cash, flexible later. The real question is whether he is worth about $15M in 2027.

    Sources: Acme Packing Company (Justis Mosqueda), March 12, 2025 · Last Word on Sports, Sept 30, 2026

Bars show each reported cap hit by year on one shared scale; the dark bar is 2026. Tap a deal for the full breakdown.

More contracts

  1. Javon HargraveDT$7.71M2 years leftPackers On SI, Bill Huber, Mar 17, 2026
  2. Keisean NixonCB$7.17M1 year leftLast Word on Sports, David Keech, Sep 30, 2026
  3. Zaire FranklinLB$7.13M2 years leftLast Word on Sports, David Keech, Sep 30, 2026
  4. Jayden ReedWR$6.79M4 years leftLast Word on Sports, David Keech, Sep 30, 2026
  5. Sean RhyanC$6.67M3 years leftPackers Wire, Zach Kruse, Mar 9, 2026
  6. Lukas Van NessEDGE$5.53M2 years leftLast Word on Sports, David Keech, Sep 30, 2026
  7. Isaiah McDuffieLB$4.72M2 years leftPackers Wire, Zach Kruse, Jul 12, 2026
  8. Jordan MorganOL$3.87M2 years leftPackers Wire, Paul Bretl, Jun 14, 2024 (rookie-deal cap schedule)
  9. Benjamin St-JusteCB$3.50M2 years leftPackers Wire, Zach Kruse, Mar 10, 2026
  10. Tyrod TaylorQB$2.88M1 year leftPackers Wire, Zach Kruse, May 7, 2026
  11. Luke MusgraveTE$2.70M1 year leftSportskeeda contract breakdown (reproduces Spotrac's schedule), undated
  12. Edgerrin CooperLB$2.35M2 years leftPackers Wire, Paul Bretl, May 29, 2024 (rookie-deal cap schedule)
  13. Jonnu SmithTE$2M1 year leftAcme Packing Company, Justis Mosqueda, Sep 9, 2026, citing ESPN's Rob Demovsky
  14. Matthew GoldenWR—3 years leftPackers Wire, Zach Kruse, May 19, 2025
  15. Karl BrooksDT—1 year leftA to Z Sports, Wendell Ferreira, Aug 26, 2026
  16. Carrington ValentineCB—1 year leftPackers On SI, Jun 30, 2026
  17. Skyy MooreWR—1 year leftPackers On SI, Bill Huber, Mar 11, 2026, citing Tom Silverstein (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
  18. Daniel WhelanP—2 years leftPro Football Rumors, Ben Levine, Sep 7, 2025, citing NFL Network's Ian Rapoport

The next deals by 2026 cap hit that don't have a full card yet. A dash means that figure has not been reported in a source we can cite. Each row links the reporting we used.

Cap terms in plain English

What is a cap hit?

The part of a contract that counts against the salary cap in one season: salary, plus the signing bonus spread evenly over the deal (up to five years), plus other bonuses. It is not the same as the cash paid that year.

What does "guaranteed" mean?

Money the player gets even if he is cut. "Fully guaranteed at signing" is the strongest kind. Other guarantees lock in on set dates, which is why reported totals for the same deal often differ.

What are void years?

Placeholder years added to the end of a deal so a bonus can be spread over more seasons, which lowers today's cap hit. The deal voids before those years are played, and any bonus not yet counted hits the cap at once as dead money.

What is dead money?

Cap charges for a player who is no longer on the team, usually signing bonus that had not been counted yet when he was cut or traded.

What is a restructure?

Turning salary into a signing bonus so it can be spread over later years. It frees cap room now and makes future cap hits bigger.

9 key contracts, each checked against the cited reporting on Nov 12, 2026. Cards without a year-by-year schedule in citable reporting show no score.

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Data note: every contract figure is hand-entered from the public reporting linked on its card (checked 2026-11-12). Figures are as reported on the date shown and change with restructures. Nothing is copied from cap-database tables.