On Monday, the Green Bay Packers and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt agreed to a three-year, $57 million contract extension that includes a $20 million signing bonus. It’s a good move for the Packers, but I’m surprised they got it done before the season.
The 2022 first-round pick has been one of the league’s best interior defensive linemen over the last two seasons, ranking near the top of pass rush and run stop metrics. I never doubted that, if he stayed healthy throughout the 2026 season, he would earn an extension before the start of the 2027 league year.
That’s why I’m a little surprised Green Bay got this deal done now. Wyatt is coming off a major injury and will turn 29 next year, so I expected the Packers to wait one more season before making a long-term commitment.
Wyatt’s new deal puts him among the NFL’s 20 highest-paid interior defensive linemen. That’s a larger investment than I expected Green Bay to make, considering he entered his contract year with two significant questions: His durability and his ability to consistently hold up against the run.
Still, the Packers have consistently done a good job structuring contracts to protect themselves. We don’t have the full details of Wyatt’s extension yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the deal is effectively a one-year commitment with built-in flexibility after that.
This extension is a bet on his upside. Wyatt has developed into one of the league’s most disruptive interior pass rushers over the last two seasons, and when healthy, he’s Green Bay’s best pass-rushing defensive tackle.
He got off to a strong start in 2025, recording 13 pressures over the first three games, including a seven-pressure performance against the Washington Commanders on Thursday Night Football. Green Bay is paying for what it believes he’ll continue to become, not just what he’s already accomplished.
The Packers must feel confident in where the former Georgia Bulldog is in his recovery, and this contract reflects that. The expectation was for him to be ready for training camp, and everything indicates that will be the case.
Wyatt and Javon Hargrave could form a strong interior combination. It also allows Karl Brooks to settle into a rotational pass-rushing role where he can maximize his strengths, while giving Chris McClellan time to develop and gradually earn more snaps.
I have no problem with this contract. The only real question is whether Devonte Wyatt can stay healthy throughout the season and continue building from his recovery. The Packers didn’t sign the type of deal that would put them in a difficult financial position. The Packers have structured contracts well for years, and this looks like an effective cost for a player who has already shown he can be one of the league’s better interior defensive linemen.
