Since the NFL created the rookie-scale contract in 2011, drafted players enter the league on a four-year contract. But there's a fifth-year option for first-rounders, and teams must exercise them or not after the third season. Starting with the 2021 CBA, though, the decision became harder for teams.
The previously injury guaranteed option is now fully guaranteed, so the decision to exercise it is more complicated and has more repercussions.
The Green Bay Packers exercised the options with cornerback Jaire Alexander, edge rusher Rashan Gary, and (wrongly) with safety Darnell Savage — they ended up paying Savage more than necessary to keep him in 2023 because of that.
With Jordan Love, it was a tough situation, because Love had only one start after three years but was set to be the full-time starter in 2023, so Green Bay was able to reach a one-year extension to replace the option with more money upfront, but less guarantees.
Last offseason, the Packers declined cornerback Eric Stokes' fifth-year option, which has proved to be the correct decision, since he has failed to play at a good level since his rookie year in 2021 and has been benched during this season.
In the next offseason, the Packers will have two decisions to make, because the team had two first-round picks in 2022. One of them might basically be decided (Quay Walker), and the other one is a little trickier (Devonte Wyatt).
How it works
There are four levels to the fifth-year option based on what the player did in his first three NFL seasons. Basic, playing time, Pro Bowl, multiple Pro Bowls. The last two are self-explanatory, and none of the Packers first-rounders from the 2022 class will reach that.
The playing time level depends on how many snaps the player has been on the field. The player has to have played at least 75% of the snaps in two of their first three seasons; an average of at least 75% over all three seasons; or at least 50% over all three seasons.
Quay Walker has reached the playing time level. Devonte Wyatt has not, so the defensive tackle is in the basic level.
Either the Packers exercise the option or not, these players will still be under contract for 2025. The option would be for the 2026 season.
Quay Walker discussion
Since he reached the playing time level, Quay Walker's fifth-year option would be $16.06 million for 2026. That's simply too much based on how Walker has played and the Packers' alternatives at the position. This year, second-round pick Edgerrin Cooper has clearly outplayed Walker, even if the snapcount is still limited — that's just how the Packers tend to operate with rookies.
Role players like Eric Wilson and Isaiah McDuffie have been more productive, although the athletic level isn't the same.
The Packers will most likely not exercise the option and let Quay Walker play the fourth year of his rookie deal in 2025. If necessary, they find a way to keep him after that.
The $16 million number per se is already too high for an off-ball linebacker. The only players at this position to get more than that in yearly average are Roquan Smith (Baltimore Ravens), Fred Warner (San Francisco 49ers), and Tremaine Edmunds (Chicago Bears), two truly elite players and an overpriced free agent.
Even if the Packers want to keep Walker beyond 2025, there are less expensive ways of doing so.
Devonte Wyatt discussion
For Wyatt, the decision is not so easy. The defensive tackle hasn't reached the playing time level, so his projected number is $13.088 million. That sounds a lot right now, but what he does over the second half of the season can be the real difference between the Packers picking the option up or not.
So far in his career, Wyatt hasn't been a starter for the Packers. As a rookie, he played 21.68% of the defensive snaps. Last season, he played 49.68%, still behind Kenny Clark and TJ Slaton.
This year, the number is at 28.87%. Sure, he missed three games because of an ankle injury. But even in the six games he did play, Wyatt was on the field for only 45% of the defensive snaps. That's mostly because Wyatt has been ineffective as a run defender, so he basically can't be on the field unless it's a realistic pass rush scenario.
On the other hand, Wyatt has been one of the main pass rushers on the team, and he fits well into Jeff Hafley's scheme. He played only six of the nine games, but is third on the team in total pressures (12), only behind Rashan Gary (20) and Kenny Clark (16). His average of pressures per game is second on the Packers.
The option number doesn't seem that absurd for an interior defensive lineman. But guaranteeing it one year ahead of time is tough considering that Wyatt is not a full-time starter and that the Packers gave Clark an extension this offseason.
Right now, it seems smarter for the Packers to let Wyatt play this fourth season and make a decision after that. But the next eight games (and potentially the playoffs) will ultimately define what the Packers' next step is.
