Brian Gutekunst has had a tough year. At least that’s what the headlines claim.
Gutekunst was already in the proverbial doghouse following a public and prolonged debacle with Aaron Rodgers. After being a finalist — but not a winner — in the Stephon Gilmore and Odell Beckham Jr. lotteries, many would have you believe Gutekunst has done nothing to put his team “all-in” after consecutive back-to-back NFC Championship losses.
Whatever qualms you might have about the Packers’ general manager, he has done a phenomenal job of putting his team in a place to succeed this season. It just hasn’t always been in the sexiest way.
For not having OBJ, or Von Miller or, ahem, Stephon Gilmore, Green Bay sure looks a lot like they are in first place in the NFC to me. After being relatively healthy the past two seasons, the injury bug hit the team hard this year. Yet they still sit at 8-2. While having the reigning league MVP and the person who should be Coach of the Year at the helm certainly helps, Gutekunst’s investments in the draft and free agency set the Packers up for success.
In last season’s draft, it seemed Gutekunst was looking to the future for depth at loaded positions, including a successor to Aaron Rodgers. But this season’s class was an immediate call to action.
The Packers drafted Eric Stokes to fill the team’s most significant need: cornerback. As injuries plagued Green Bay, Stokes saw plenty of action against some of the league’s best receivers. He’s held his own. Practicing daily against Rodgers and Davante Adams certainly helps. The Packers brought in Josh Myers to replace Corey Linsley as a Day 1 starter, and he performed admirably before getting injured.
Royce Newman has taken his lumps at right guard, but the fourth-round pick shows much potential. Even though he’s a rookie, he’d still be a starter on many teams. Seventh-round running back Kylin Hill looked like a steal before his injury, and he had a significant impact on kick returns. T.J. Slaton has performed well in limited action. The Packers are asking more from their rookies than in recent years, and they’re getting great results.
By the way, Gutekunst’s previous draftees are getting their time in the spotlight as well. In 2019, when Gutekunst drafted Rashan Gary over more polished prospects like Brian Burns and Montez Sweat, the pick was widely criticized, including by me). Now Gary is a pressure machine filling in for the injured Za’Darius Smith. Darnell Savage is part of the best safety duo in the NFL. Elgton Jenkins is a Pro Bowl-level player at just about every offensive line position.
The A.J. Dillon pick was heavily criticized by the draft community, and now Dillon and Aaron Jones are one of the best running back duos in the league. While Jones is out for a few weeks with an MCL sprain, Dillon gets to show his critics what he can do.
Jaire Alexander, Gutekunst’s first draft pick, is fantastic.
The Packers have always been a draft-and-develop team, and the patience with their picks is paying off.
Yet, unlike his predecessor, Gutekunst has made some savvy free-agent moves. In 2019, he brought in Adrian Amos, Preston Smith, Za’Darius Smith, and Billy Turner on big contracts. None of these were considered marquee players. However, three seasons later, each one means a lot to this team.
Gutekunst’s additions this season are exactly the type of pickups that make the GM so valuable to this organization. By picking up cheap free agents off the street and strengthening their roster depth, the Packers have dominated the NFC despite not being viewed as all-in.
De’Vondre Campbell was considered a modest, cheap replacement for Christian Kirksey. In Campbell, Green Bay got one of the league’s best inside linebackers and the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Month. Campbell turned one of the most traditionally neglected positions into a strength and is a big reason the Packers’ defense is so good.
When Jaire Alexander exited Week 4 with a significant injury, it looked like it could spell disaster for the team. Enter Rasul Douglas, signed off the Arizona Cardinals practice squad on Oct. 6. Not only would Douglas prove an excellent boundary corner, but he also had the game-winning interception against the then-undefeated Cardinals.
The Packers needed edge depth after losing Za’Darius Smith and took a chance on Whitney Mercilus after the Houston Texans released the 10-year vet. Mercilus played a valuable role as a situational pass rusher and had a beautiful drive-ending sack of Russell Wilson. Sadly, Mercilus got injured and is out for the season following that Seahawks game. However, he proved he still had a lot in the tank and was a great addition.
And who can forget Randall Cobb’s return, apparently the final catalyst for the compromise with Aaron Rodgers? Cobb appeared to find the fountain of youth and emerged as the Packers’ WR2 in Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s absence. Fun fact: Cobb currently has more receiving touchdowns than Davante Adams. Cobb’s chemistry with Rodgers certainly hasn’t been lost in his time away from Green Bay.
There are legitimate criticisms of Gutekunst to be made, especially in his dealings with Rodgers. Yet one can’t deny that Gutekunst does everything possible to keep his team in Super Bowl contention. The acquisitions he makes might not be the most famous names, but he brings in guys who can get the job done. By the way, the Los Angeles Rams, the team that bragged about going all-in? They’ve lost two-straight games. Perhaps making Madden-style moves isn’t the recipe for success after all.
