As I continue on with my way to early look ahead to the 2025 NFL draft for the Green Bay Packers, we arrive at the edge rusher position, with 10 names to keep your eyes on during this upcoming college football season.
Pro Football Focus has recently gone through all 11 positions and picked the top 10 draft prospects from each. Here is who they chose at edge rusher. For more details on each player, click here.
James Pearce Jr., Tennessee
At least where we stand right now, edge rusher doesn’t look like it’s going to be a big need for the Packers in 2025, with the current top five players at this position group all under contract through at least next season.
Rashan Gary’s deal runs through the 2027 season. Lukas Van Ness’ contract goes through 2026, plus the Packers have a team option for the 2027 season. Preston Smith’s contract also goes through 2026, while Kingsley Enagbare and Brenton Cox are both under contract through 2025.
A potential wildcard that could alter the math on this equation is that Smith comes with a cap hit of $17.5 million in 2025, and if released, the Packers save $7.626 million in cap space.
However, in that scenario, Smith still leaves behind a dead cap hit of nearly $10 million. And until we see otherwise, my expectation is that he will still return next season with two years left on his deal at that time and someone who has been extremely durable, continues to be productive, and is a leader in the locker room.
We know this is a position that GM Brian Gutekunst values extremely highly. It’s also one under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley where depth is important, given the attacking play style of this group and the heavy rotation we are expected to see each week.
So those factors, coupled with Enagbare and Cox being in the final year of their deals in 2025, could leave the door open for an addition, but as of now, I don’t see the Packers spending an early-round pick at edge rusher next April.
The Packers currently have seven official picks in next year’s draft, one in each round, and are projected to receive a compensatory pick for losing Yosh Nijman in free agency, which would give them eight selections in total.
