Packers add cap room by restructuring OL Yosh Nijman’s contract

The Green Bay Packers have been tight against the cap throughout 2023, as they attempt to pay off their cap debt that was amassed over the last two “all in” seasons. They received a little bit of relief on the accounting front to start the regular season, though, as ESPN’s Field Yates has reported that the team has converted a portion of offensive lineman Yosh Nijman’s contract into a signing bonus while adding four void years onto his one-year tender. Per Yates, this move creates $2.54 million in cap space for the Packers.

Nijman signed a one-year, $4.3 million contract with Green Bay this offseason after the Packers placed a second-round tender on the then-restricted free agent. When Nijman wasn’t given an offer sheet by another franchise — an expected result of the tender — he re-signed with Green Bay.

Nijman will now make around $1.1 million this year in salary (game checks) while around $3.2 million hits his bank account immediately in the form of a signing bonus. After the $2.54 million in cap savings is accounted for, the Packers should be in the ballpark of $11.5 million in cap space for the remainder of the season. According to Spotrac, that number would rank sixth in the NFL for the most cap space in the league — just behind the Carolina Panthers. What Green Bay plans to do with that cap space has yet to be reported.

Nijman was one of two contracts that general manager Brian Gutekunst could adjust for significant cap savings at this point in the season. The other is outside linebacker Rashan Gary’s contract, a one-year fifth-year option. Last week, Gary’s representation stated that they would be willing to sign an in-season extension offer from the Packers, which leaves the door open for even more cap savings for Green Bay moving forward.