Packers restructure DL Dean Lowry’s deal

The Packers restructured the contract of defensive lineman Dean Lowry (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Field Yates). Lowry will have $3.11 million of his $4.1M salary converted into a signing bonus, giving Green Bay an additional $2.5M in cap room. That’s a welcome break for GM Brian Gutekunst, who was sweating Lowry’s scheduled $6.3M cap hit.

The move provides the Packers with some extra space to add to the roster between now and Week 1. In theory, the extra dollars could be allocated toward a big splash, like trading for Falcons star Julio Jones, but they’ll need more than a few million to make that happen. Jones will earn a guaranteed $15.3M this year and already has ~$2M of his 2022 salary ($15.5M) locked in.

Lowry, a 2016 fourth-round pick out of Northwestern, inked a three-year, $20.325M extension toward the end of his rookie deal. He broke out as a part-time starter in 2018 with 57 tackles (seven for loss), three sacks, three passes defensed, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, two QB hits and 14 QB pressures. Last year, he delivered three sacks and 36 total stops while starting in all 16 contests.