{"id":75411,"date":"2025-05-24T12:39:09","date_gmt":"2025-05-24T12:39:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/75411\/"},"modified":"2025-05-24T12:39:09","modified_gmt":"2025-05-24T12:39:09","slug":"when-should-the-packers-extend-quay-walker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/75411\/","title":{"rendered":"When Should the Packers Extend Quay Walker?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Green Bay Packers had two defensive starters entering the 2025 offseason on track to hit unrestricted free agency in 2026. One of them was former first-round pick Devonte Wyatt<\/a>. However, the team exercised<\/a> his fifth-year option, securing his rights through the 2026 season and guaranteeing him $12.9 million for that year.<\/p>\n

The other one was Quay Walker<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Packers chose<\/a> not to pick up Walker\u2019s fifth-year option. It would have guaranteed him $14.7 million for the 2026 season and made him one of the 10 highest-paid<\/a> linebackers in the NFL, a price tag that does not reflect his level of play.<\/p>\n

However, don\u2019t let Green Bay\u2019s decision to decline Walker\u2019s option fool you. Brian Gutekunst values the former Georgia Bulldog and wants him to remain in Green Bay for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuay continued to make a leap, and another guy who had struggled through injuries at the end of the year, but he was really impactful for us this year,\u201d Gutekunst said<\/a> after the 2024 season. \u201cContinues to be a great leader for us. Certainly think we would love to have him around here for longer than just a couple years. He\u2019s that kind of guy.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2024, his career-low<\/a> 48.8 coverage grade ranked 90th among linebackers with at least 50 coverage snaps. He also finished 58th in run defense and 97th in overall defense among players at his position with the same snap threshold. Walker had a promising stretch late last season before injuring his ankle<\/a> against the Seattle Seahawks. Still, it is a small sample size over three seasons as a starter.<\/p>\n

Quay Walker\u2019s defensive grade <\/p>\n

Through Weeks 1\u201311: 55.6<\/p>\n

Weeks 12 and 13: 79.9<\/p>\n

\u2014 Felipe Reis Aceti (@Aceti_Felipe) November 29, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n

The Packers are much higher on Quay Walker<\/a> than the fanbase is. Still, it is fair to assume that the people inside Lambeau Field know more about Walker than any fan or media member ever could. However, it is hard to overlook three seasons of game tape that show he has been average against the run and inconsistent in coverage.<\/p>\n

Green Bay can allow Walker to play out the final year of his rookie contract while still negotiating an extension before the new league year begins in March, and I expect them to extend him.<\/p>\n

If the Packers don\u2019t finalize Zach Tom<\/a>\u2019s contract extension before the start of the 2025 regular season, he should be Green Bay\u2019s top priority<\/a> among their 2026 unrestricted free agents. They shouldn\u2019t complete any other deals until they extend their All-Pro caliber right tackle.<\/p>\n

Walker could have the best season of his career in 2025 and make a strong case for a big payday. Still, letting him play out the final year of his rookie deal is a reasonable gamble, given there are three seasons of evidence suggesting he\u2019s unlikely to take a big leap in production.<\/p>\n

That said, the Packers could still re-sign him before training camp and secure a more team-friendly deal. Former Zone Coverage writer and current A to Z Sports editor Wendell Ferreira proposed<\/a> a four-year, $37.6 million contract. That\u2019s an average of $9.4 million per year, placing Walker just outside the top-15 highest-paid linebackers.<\/p>\n

Green Bay should maintain flexibility on when to negotiate Walker\u2019s deal. The main risk of waiting until after the 2025 season is that his price could increase. However, the Packers should have a sense of what they have with him, so it is reasonable to question how much better he can realistically play next year compared to previous seasons.<\/p>\n

My guess is that the key factor will be how Tom\u2019s contract negotiations unfold. If the Packers can reach a deal with Tom soon, it will improve their chances of re-signing Walker early. However, if Tom\u2019s camp plays hardball, Walker\u2019s new contract will likely not be finalized until just before the start of the league year.<\/p>\n

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