Three full-season Packers offensive line starters have now been moved off the roster this offseason. Following the David Bakhtiari release and Jon Runyan Jr.‘s Giants defection, the team is cutting Royce Newman, per the Green Bay Press-Gazette’s Ryan Wood.
Newman had moved into a Packers starting role as a rookie, coming out of Round 4 in 2021, but had settled in as a backup in recent years. Newman still started eight games from 2022-23, but the Packers made a big addition at guard this offseason. Green Bay is planning to kick first-round tackle Jordan Morgan inside to begin his career.
This move does come after the Packers gave Newman a pay cut. The team reduced Newman’s contract-year salary from $3.12MM to $1.25MM; no dead money will come from this cut. The Packers had reduced the former fourth-round pick’s role since he started for most of Aaron Rodgers‘ fourth MVP season.
The Packers also saw their O-line battered by injuries in 2021, with Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins spending much of the season on IR. Pro Football Focus never rated Newman higher than 50th among guards. He spent almost that entire season at right guard, before being demoted following six 2022 starts. The Packers now have Jenkins entrenched at left guard and Morgan set to play on the right side.
Although the Packers moved on from Yosh Nijman this offseason, they added Andre Dillard and are keeping fellow swing option Kadeem Telfort on their 53-man roster. Former third-round pick Sean Rhyan also remains on Green Bay’s roster as a top reserve.