Packers Continue Path to Cap by Restructuring Turner

Billy Turner converted his roster bonus and some of his base salary into signing bonus to help the Packers move toward the cap.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers and right tackle Billy Turner have agreed to a restructure as the team continued its march toward getting beneath the salary cap in time for the start of the league-year on Wednesday.

The news was first reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. According to a source, Turner converted his $1 million roster bonus into signing bonus. With that pro-rated on the 2021 and 2022 caps, that cleared $500,000 of space. He also converted an undisclosed amount of his $4.525 million base salary into signing bonus to clear additional room.

On Friday, the Packers and Preston Smith agreed to a massive restructure. It was a win-win deal given the uncertainties of a bloated group of free agents vying for jobs with a shrinking salary cap and the quality of Smith’s 2019 season and his familiarity with new defensive coordinator Joe Barry. An outright release of Smith would have saved $8 million. The incentive-based restructure saved $7.25 million.

Based on OverTheCap.com’s numbers from the start of Friday and including restructures for Smith and safety Adrian Amos, Green Bay was $1.56 million over the cap. Turner’s restructure might have taken care of the rest. Getting to break-even will not be enough, though, with a draft class to sign, the restricted free agency of tight end Robert Tonyan and the potential to add players in free agency next week.

The Packers would have been sunk without Turner last season. In 2019, Green Bay signed him to a four-year, $28 million contract even though he had never actually won a starting job since being a third-round draft pick by Miami in 2014.

He struggled through his first season in Green Bay at right guard but was much better upon his move to right tackle. Of the 55 offensive tackles to play at least 50 percent of the passing-game snaps, Turner ranked 25th in ProFootballFocus.com’s pass-blocking efficiency. He allowed two sacks and 25 total pressures, sharp reductions over last year.

“I've always felt Billy's best position was tackle, in general,” offensive line coach Adam Stenavich said late in the season. “When we could move him out there, I felt better having him out there. Him going to left tackle, he's played a lot of different positions over his career. … He's a pretty reliable guy in general. If he can get his mind right that week for whatever position he's going to play, I feel really good about him out there doing his thing and being productive.”

His versatility was a tremendous asset. Including playoffs, Turner played 1,030 snaps, according to PFF. The breakdown: 423 snaps at right tackle, 363 snaps at left tackle and 244 snaps at right guard. With left tackle David Bakhtiari rehabbing from a torn ACL, Turner might be the Week 1 starter on the left side.