Packers: New GM Brian Gutekunst has been a breath of fresh air

In the short time Brian Gutekunst has been the Green Bay Packers general manager, we can already tell he has a much different approach than Ted Thompson did.

Gutekunst has shown his ability to react quickly and be proactive towards needs on this team. As a fan, this is quite refreshing to see when compared to Ted’s approach of sitting back and working with what they have.

Since Gutekunst has taken over as GM, he has made a number of moves to help add depth in key areas and has bolstered positions that needed some assistance.

The most recent move happened Sunday with the acquisition of linebacker Antonio Morrison.

Adding depth at ILB

After Friday’s game in Oakland, Gute didn’t waste any time adding another inside linebacker to the depth chart after Oren Burks was injured in pre-game warmups. Burks’ injury, coupled with Jake Ryan being out for the season, has resulted in a lack of depth at the ILB position.

Gute was able to bring in a third-year linebacker who is a great locker room presence and led the Colts in tackles last year with 108 (64 solo). The Packers had to part ways with Lenzy Pipkins, but with what has turned into a deep secondary, Pipkins most likely wouldn’t have seen much playing time anyway. This was a great pickup for the Packers at a much needed position.

Red zone target for Rodgers

A key area the Packers and Aaron Rodgers will miss Jordy Nelson is in the red zone. Nelson had become one of the best red zone targets in the league. During the 2016 season, 11 out of Nelson’s 14 touchdowns came in the red zone, which was a league best.

To help make up for this loss of production, Gute went out and signed Jimmy Graham. Of his career 69 touchdowns, 55 have taken place inside the 20-yard line. Graham has a build that makes him difficult for defensive backs to cover and is too quick for many linebackers to keep up with. Graham will prove to be a great red zone target for Rodgers.

Defensive backs

Last year many would say the Packers secondary was a huge issue for this team, nowhere near the level it should be at. Because of this, Gute did what he does best and made a few moves this offseason.

The Packers spent the first two rounds of this year’s draft bringing in high-caliber cornerbacks: Jaire Alexander from Louisville and Josh Jackson from Iowa. Both had great college careers and so far through training camp and the first few preseason games, we’ve already seen glimpses of how special these two players can be in the upcoming years.

Gute also brought back a familiar face in Tramon Williams. Williams left in free agency three years ago as the front office thought his best years were behind him.

However, during his time in Cleveland and Arizona, Williams has shown that’s anything but true. Williams was brought in to make an impact in this secondary. He will be a very powerful person to have in the film room and on the field for Green Bay’s young defensive backs.

Pass rush

In addition to Graham and Williams, the other big free agent signing was Muhammad Wilkerson. Wilkerson has averaged over six sacks per year during his career, including two double-digit sack seasons. He will be a great addition to a line that already includes Mike Daniels and Kenny Clark.

The Packers finished in the bottom half of the league in team sacks last year. This lack of pass rush was a contributor to the secondary’s issues. Quarterbacks had a lot of time to sit in the pocket and find an open receiver. This was a position that needed improvements and over this offseason, I believe it became a strength.

Gutekunst has been a breath of fresh air for Packers fans. When a problem arises or there becomes room for improvement, he has been quick to act. Are all of these moves going to work out? Probably not. However, he is making the moves necessary to help improve this team overall and it will hopefully lead to a memorable 2018 season.