Royce Newman appears to have improved his chances of making the Green Bay Packers’ 53-man roster after agreeing to a revised contract ahead of the 2024 season. According to Over the Cap, Newman will reduce his base salary to $1.25 million and have $1 million in per-game roster bonuses, lowering his salary cap hit this season to $2.37 million.
Newman, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract, was scheduled to earn $3.1 million in 2024 after qualifying for the NFL’s proven performance escalator over his first three seasons.
This is a direct pay cut for Newman, but it could also be viewed as a compromise for player and team, as his salary increased significantly due to an escalator clause.
Newman, likely to play as a backup guard, would have been in a tough spot to make the team with a nonguaranteed salary that would increase in the final year of his contract. There is still no guaranteed money in his contract, but a reduction in Newman’s salary could make him more manageable under the Packers’ 2024 cap, improving his chances of staying on the roster.
Newman, a fifth-round draft pick in 2021, started 22 games over his first two seasons in the NFL, starting two games last season but only playing 183 total offensive snaps.
Entering 2024, Newman will compete for playing time at guard with 2022 third-round pick Sean Ryan and first-round pick Jordan Morgan and probably won’t finish higher than eighth or ninth on the offensive line depth list.
The Packers could choose to move on even after reworking Newman’s contract, especially if a player like fifth-round pick Jacob Monk or undrafted free agent Donovan Jennings emerges as a talented development player on the interior of the offensive line. Monk and Jennings are both rookies, but they’re young, inexpensive and have more seasons under team control.
Newman’s contract still includes a $124,836 signing bonus, which would be a dead cap charge if Newman were to be released.