Paul Bretl | 4/22/2025
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The deadline for NFL teams to either pick up or decline the fifth-year options for 2022 first-round draft picks is approaching, with those decisions needing to be made by May 1st.
Every player selected in the first round of the NFL draft comes with a fifth-year option that the team can either pick up or decline. The 2022 draft class is entering the final year of their rookie deals, so these decisions that teams have to make are for the 2026 season.
For the Packers specifically, it’s not just one decision they have to make, but rather two, with both Devonte Wyatt and Quay Walker being first-round selections in 2022.
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However, based on what GM Brian Gutekunst had to say on Monday, it doesn’t sound like this is much of a decision at all–the Packers want both players back for the 2026 season and potentially beyond.
“I think we’re pretty close,” said Gutekunst. “We won’t deal with that until after the draft, but I think for both those guys, whatever mechanism we use, we’d like to keep those guys around for ‘26 and beyond.”
From the outside perspective, these fifth-year option decisions that the Packers have to make with Walker and Wyatt certainly don’t appear to be as clear-cut as they would have been with Jaire Alexander or Rashan Gary, as examples. But internally, the Packers liked what they saw from both Walker and Wyatt in 2024 and the trajectories they are on.
As the Mike linebacker in Jeff Hafley’s defense, a role that comes with massive pre-snap responsibilities, as Walker banked more reps, things really began to click for him coming out of the team’s bye week as he navigated that learning curve.
As Walker himself described, as the season progressed, he gained more confidence in what he was being asked to do and the roles of his teammates around him. The results were that from Weeks 12-14, Walker was doing a bit of everything for this Packers’ defense. During that span of three games, Walker generated the second-most quarterback pressures of any linebacker in the NFL. He would also rank 13th, surrendering just 6.9 yards per catch.
In addition to that, his 20 tackles were tied for the fifth-most, and while tackles can sometimes be a misleading stat, the 11 stops that he generated on those tackles–the seventh-most among linebackers during those three games–shows the quality of those plays.
“I think he was progressing at that point also and playing some good football, right about the time he got hurt,” said former linebackers coach Anthony Campanile. “I thought it was a steady progression for him, he made a jump I would say at that point in the year. I think he was just starting to see it really well. In the room, I think he’s done everything he can do. He’s all over it. Answering questions, totally immersed and locked into the game plan.
“That’s something that kind of speaks to the character of the guy, too. Even the games he hasn’t played in, he’s in the room, answering questions, calling it out, playing the plays through on the screen just like he’s out there as he normally would be.”
When it comes to the pass rush, overall, the Packers need more from their four-man front, but Wyatt specifically was the Packers’ most consistent pass rusher from the defensive tackle position, as Gutekunst put it.
To help illustrate that point from Gutekunst, out of all the Packers’ defensive tackles and defensive ends, Wyatt had the highest-pass rush win rate this season, according to PFF.
Among all defensive tackles in the NFL, Wyatt ranked 11th in that category and third in pass-rush productivity, which is an efficiency metric, measuring how often a pass rusher generates pressure relative to the number of snaps they play and it’s more heavily weighted towards sacks.
This past season we also saw Wyatt make a big jump as a run defender, where he ranked sixth among his position group in run-stop rate after ranking 48th in that same category a year ago.
“We’re super fired about both those guys’ seasons this year,” Gutekunst said during his season-ending press conference. “Both of them dealt with some injuries and was really proud of how they attacked those and played through some things this year. But I think both those guys had their best years as pros so far.”
Now, just because the Packers want Wyatt and Walker back for 2026 and beyond, doesn’t mean the team is going to exercise the fifth-year options for both players.
The contract amounts for these fifth-year options are predetermined and based on position played, playing time, and any if any Pro Bowls were made. These are one-year deals that are fully guaranteed.
As of now, Over the Cap is projecting that Walker’s fifth-year option will pay him $14.75 million in 2026, and Wyatt would earn $13.92 million. Since these are one-year deals and fully guaranteed, those figures are also what Walker and Wyatt’s cap hits would be as well.
Particularly with Walker, we could see the Packers take a similar approach with him as they did with Jordan Love, where the two sides agree to a short-term extension. This approach would allow Walker–or Wyatt–to earn more than what they’ve made on their rookie deals on a per-year basis, likely along with some added earning potential through incentives, and it gives them security beyond 2025.
For the Packers, this option allows them more salary cap flexibility with how they structure the contracts.
“Whether that’s through doing the fifth year option on these guys or extending them one way or the other, we’re planning to do that, we’d like to do that,” Gutekunst added on Monday.