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GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – NOVEMBER 10: Rashan Gary #52 of the Green Bay Packers in action against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lambeau Field on November 10, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Green Bay Packers traded two first round picks and nose tackle, Kenny Clark for All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons a little under six months ago, but the team may still look to make more moves at the position heading into 2026.
Much of the Packers faithful was not thrilled with the work of former first round pick and Pro Bowl defensive end Rashan Gary, who has never quite managed to fulfill the sky-high potential of his elite athletic traits and raw pass-rushing ability.
Yet, general manager Brian Gutekunst hinted that there was a good chance Gary would be back with the team in 2026.
However, in this free agent pitch, the Packers’ front office do a 180 and release Gary, and in his place sign the recently-cut former Miami Dolphins edge rusher, Bradley Chubb.
Green Bay saves a little under $11 million in cap room in 2026 by cutting Gary, along with a further $8.5 million in 2027 (the price it will cost to cut him next offseason if they decide to retain him this year), per Spotrac.
$20 million spread over two years could well be enough to give Chubb a multiple year deal commensurate of the accomplished – if injury prone – edge rusher he is. Or, if the Packers do not feel confident enough in his services to do so, they can sign him on a one year deal and spread the cap hit across multiple years.
Despite coming off a 2024 year that saw him miss the entire season, Chubb bounced back in a reasonably strong way in 2025, accumulating 8.5 sacks, 8 tackles-for-loss and 20 quarterback hits.
How Much Would Bradley Chubb Cost Green Bay?
The answer to that question is not fully clear, but there are some clear comparisons that would make sense to consult in order to obtain a rough estimate or ball-park range.
Buffalo Bills edge rusher Joey Bosa, who is set to once again hit free agency, signed with the franchise on a one year, $12 million deal last offseason. Bosa was 29 when he signed this deal – the same age as Chubb is now – and like Chubb had a strong production record that had been hampered on multiple occasions by injuries.
With the cap now rising up to 9% this coming season, that number could be closer to around $13 million on a one year deal.
Would Chubb Be a Legitimate Upgrade over Rashan Gary?
For the purpose of this piece, the answer is yes, but in football one never truly knows. Gary’s numbers have been fairly decent and consistent over the past half-decade or so, but his play has been anything but.
A tendency to drift in and out of games, and have middling effort despite his top-level athleticism has always made his relationship with the fanbase shaky at best.
And having never managed a double-digit sack season – something that Chubb has done twice despite missing large parts of three of his eight years in the league – there is little reason to believe that feat is coming anytime soon.
Perhaps even more importantly, the finances check out. As noted earlier, the Packers save around $19.5 million over the next two years by cutting Gary, but a one year deal for Chubb will likely only cost the team around $13-14 million, saving them $5-6 million against the cap in 2026 and 2027.
So for Green Bay: what are you waiting for?
Daniel Arwas Daniel Arwas is a sports writer who covers the NFL for Heavy.com. Daniel began his career in sports writing in 2022 and has covered the NFL and college football for Gridiron Heroics and The Hammer. More about Daniel Arwas
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