Green Bay has until May 1st to exercise fifth-year options on LB Quay Walker and DT Devonte Wyatt
The clock is ticking on Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst’s plan to keep linebacker Quay Walker and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt around through the 2026 season. Both are going into the final years of their rookie contracts, but the Packers have the option to hit them with the fifth-year option, as both were first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. Green Bay has until May 1st, this Thursday, to pull the trigger on that action.
In his pre-draft press conference this year, Gutekunst said that the plan is to keep both Walker and Wyatt around beyond this season, be it via the fifth-year option or extensions. For reference, the one-year cost to retain Walker in 2026 is $14.8 million, while Wyatt will cost $13.9 million.
That’s around the market price for players of their caliber. Walker would make in the range of Nick Bolton or Jamien Sherwood if he were able to hit the open market. Both of those players received three-year deals worth $15 million per year this offseason. Wyatt will likely compare to Tershawn Wharton, who signed for $45.05 million ($15.01 million per year) with the Carolina Panthers in free agency.
Below, we’ll break down all of the 2022 first-round players who have had their options exercised, declined by their team or whose status is still up in the air.
Exercised Fifth-Year Options
- #1 pick: Tavon Walker, EDGE, Jacksonville Jaguars (48 starts)
- #2: Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Detroit Lions (39)
- #4: Sauce Gardner, CB, New York Jets (48)
- #5: Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, New York Giants (43)
- #6: Ikem Ekwonu, OL, Carolina Panthers (49)
- #9: Charles Cross, OL, Seattle Seahawks (48)
- #10: Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets (46)
- #11: Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints (28)
- #12: Jameson Williams, WR, Detroit Lions (21)
- #21: Trent McDuffie, CB, Kansas City Chiefs (43)
- #24: Tyler Smith, OL, Dallas Cowboys (47)
- #26: Jermaine Johnson II, EDGE, New York Jets (19)
- #30: George Karlaftis, EDGE, Kansas City Chiefs (44)
- #31: Dax Hill, CB, Cincinnati Bengals (24)
Extended Players
- #3: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, Houston Texans (37)
Fifth-Year Options Declined
- #7: Evan Neal, OL, New York Giants (27)
- #19: Trevor Penning, OL, New Orleans Saints (23)
- #20: Kenny Pickett, QB, Cleveland Browns (25)
No Longer Eligible for Option (Released)
- #32: Lewis Cine, S, Philadelphia Eagles (0)
Up in the Air
- #8: Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons (48)
- #13: Jordan Davis, DL, Philadelphia Eagles (39)
- #14: Kyle Hamilton, S, Baltimore Ravens (36)
- #15: Kenyon Green, OL, Philadelphia Eagles (23)
- #16: Jahan Dotson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (32)
- #17: Zion Johnson, OL, Los Angeles Chargers (49)
- #18: Teylon Burks, WR, Tennessee Titans (17)
- #22: Quay Walker, LB, Green Bay Packers (43)
- #23: Kaiir Elam, CB, Dallas Cowboys (12)
- #25: Tyler Linderbaum, OL, Baltimore Ravens (49)
- #27: Devin Lloyd, LB, Jacksonville Jaguars (46)
- #28: Devonte Wyatt, DL, Green Bay Packers (5)
- #29: Cole Strange, OL, New England Patriots (29)
For the most part, players who have started around 30 games over three years have had their options picked up. The big exceptions are players who are preferred starters and missed significant time in their first three seasons due to injury. Only five players recorded fewer than 20 starts in their first three years, with Wyatt ranking second to last with his five. At the moment, he figures to be the Packers’ starting three-technique defensive tackle for 2025 with Kenny Clark finally moving back to nose tackle full time.
Beyond just the players, here’s a fun fact about this fifth-year option crop: Browns general manager Andrew Berry, a Harvard graduate, had no clue that he needed to make a decision on Kenny Pickett’s fifth-year option this offseason. Since his flub in front of the media, the team has turned down the opportunity to pick up the quarterback’s option.
The Packers are already set to be over the cap in 2026, especially if the team retains cornerback Jaire Alexander on his deal that will pay him out $17.5 million this year. Back-loaded long-term extensions that stretch signing bonuses will give Green Bay more wiggle room in 2026, rather than if the team carries nearly $29 million in additional cap space for holding onto Walker and Wyatt next year via fifth-year options.