ESPN Wisconsin reporter Jason Wilde joins Jen, Gabe & Chewy with a clear-eyed breakdown of the Green Bay Packers’ looming salary-cap decisions, focusing on Malik Willis’ rising free-agent value, Rashan Gary’s uncertain future, and why the front office must act quickly — even if they won’t say it publicly. 020626 Jason on JGC Wilde begins by addressing the quarterback coach search, explaining that while outside names like Matt Schaub have been floated, the Packers already have internal options — including simply expanding Luke Getsy’s role, given his history working with both Jordan Love and Aaron Rodgers. 🏈 Malik Willis: from afterthought to real market One of the most revealing parts of the segment centers on Malik Willis, whose performance in Green Bay has dramatically altered his career trajectory. Wilde explains: Teams around the league are desperate for quarterbacks Many will excuse Willis’ struggles in Tennessee due to organizational instability His Packers tape will carry significant weight in evaluations He’s likely to be signed to compete for a starting job, not just as a backup Wilde compares the situation to Matt Flynn’s free agency, where opportunity — not guarantees — drove the market. The takeaway: Willis will have real leverage, and keeping him won’t be cheap. 🧠 Rashan Gary: no ‘Option C’ The conversation then turns blunt when discussing Rashan Gary. Wilde lays out what he believes are the only realistic paths: Restructure with a significant pay cut, allowing Gary to earn money back via incentives Move on entirely and reclaim cap space What doesn’t exist, in Wilde’s view, is a third option: Leaving the contract as-is would be personnel malpractice. After a season where Gary went 10 straight games without a sack, Wilde argues the Packers cannot justify paying him like an elite pass rusher without elite production. 💰 Josh Jacobs and the Aaron Jones warning sign Wilde draws a direct parallel between current praise for Josh Jacobs and past praise for Aaron Jones. He reminds listeners: Gutekunst once said they’d do “whatever it takes” to keep Jones The eventual offer told a very different story Jones went on to produce immediately elsewhere That history makes Wilde cautious about reading too much into glowing words. If the Packers truly want to keep Jacobs, they’ll need to: Convert salary to bonus Add void years Lower his $10.4 million cap hit Otherwise, the praise won’t matter. 🧮 Cap space doesn’t appear magically A core truth Wilde stresses repeatedly: The Packers cannot meaningfully participate in free agency without first creating cap space. That likely means: Restructuring contracts Moving on from veterans like Elgton Jenkins or Rashan Gary Accepting short-term dead money Public optimism, Wilde says, is strategic — not revealing. Internally, decisions are already mapped out. 🌍 International games are coming Before wrapping up, Wilde also weighs in on the NFL’s international expansion, saying he would be shocked if the Packers don’t play overseas this season — most likely in Munich, given Green Bay’s strong brand presence in Germany and previous league designations. He references former team president Mark Murphy’s comments, noting once again that Murphy often floated league plans publicly long before they became official. ⚖️ The bottom line Jason Wilde leaves listeners with a firm conclusion: Malik Willis will have options Rashan Gary’s situation must be resolved quickly Josh Jacobs’ future depends on actual cap moves, not quotes And the Packers’ “we can do whatever we want” rhetoric only works if they follow through The next few weeks will reveal whether Green Bay is serious about competing — or simply managing the cap with optimism. 🎧 A grounded, insider look at Packers roster decisions, quarterback markets, and why the hard part of the offseason is already here — with Jason Wilde on Jen, Gabe & Chewy. Green Bay Packers, Jason Wilde, Malik Willis free ...
