Packers: What GM Brian Gutekunst has taught us thus far

We are at the point in the NFL offseason where things begin to die down. The NFL Draft is over and all teams have made their major signings in free agency. Now NFL fans are looking forward to August, when the preseason begins.

In this dull time during NFL calendar, it’s time to reflect on Brian Gutekunst, who is going through his second full offseason as the Green Bay Packers‘ general manager.

In his short time as the GM, Gutekunst and the Packers have experienced some turmoil. For example, the firing of former head coach Mike McCarthy in the middle of the 2018 season. On top of that, the Packers finishing 6-9-1 and third in the NFC North.

Nonetheless, in his brief two years as the general manager, Gutekunst has seemingly changed the culture in Green Bay’s front office. Let’s take a close look at what exactly Gutekunst has done thus far.

Recap of what Gutekunst has done so far

To notice the culture change, Gutekunst’s philosophy as a general manager must be compared to that of former general manager Ted Thompson. Thompson was known for drafting players and relying on their development to make the Packers successful.

In doing so, Thompson rarely looked to free agency to improve the Packers roster. Meanwhile, Gutekunst has proven he isn’t afraid to spend money in free agency. For instance, last year he brought in names like Jimmy Graham and Muhammad Wilkerson.

That trend continued this offseason as well. All on the same day, Green Bay signed edge rushers Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith, safety Adrian Amos and offensive lineman Billy Turner.

Elsewhere, Gutekunst’s first-ever draft pick, Jaire Alexander, had a very good rookie season. We will see if this year’s first-round picks in Rashan Gary and Darnell Savage Jr. can have the same type of success in their rookie seasons.

Gutekunst is a fan of versatility and superior athleticism

All the additions made to the Packers roster under Gutekunst have two common threads to them, that being versatility and superior athletic ability. First and foremost, let’s take a look at this year’s free agent class.

Amos’ best quality is his speed, while Turner has played both tackle and guard in his career. Za’Darius Smith can rush the passer from anywhere, but also sometimes he is able to drop back into coverage.

In this year’s draft, the Packers’ first four draft picks are either extremely athletic or versatile. Gary is a pass rusher who played inside in college, but the Packers plan on making him an edge rusher.

“He’ll start in the outside linebacker room, then because of his size, speed and versatility, you hope you can move him around the front,” said Packers scout Joe Hueber.

Savage is a premier athlete who ran a 4.36 40-yard dash at the combine. Savage’s 40 time was second among all safeties.

When talking about second-round pick Elgton Jenkins, Packers scout Charles Walls said: “He actually played all five spots at some point in college, which obviously adds versatility and we’re really excited about that.”

Third-round pick Jace Sternberger is a tight end who is comfortable splitting out wide. This is because Sternberger was a wide receiver when he was in junior college.

Gutekunst sees the threat Sternberger could be in the NFL, saying: “Matchup problem in college, and we think he can translate that to the NFL.”

Methods of filling needs

Many times during the draft, you see teams drafting not for need but the best player available at that time. However, the Packers have not had the luxury to do that. As a team who has missed the playoffs in two straight seasons, Green Bay had glaring holes on the roster.

One of those holes was obviously the defense, which Gutekunst called a priority to improve. We know this year the Packers drafted two defensive players in the first round. Additionally, last year the Packers spent their first three rounds drafting players to improve the defense.

Here is a visual of the talent on the Packers defense:

As far as the offense, the Packers had to improve the talent surrounding Aaron Rodgers. In 2018, Gutekunst used three draft picks on wide receivers, who he appears to still have confidence in.

“I’m really content with the three guys we drafted last year, I think they have huge upsides. I thought they took really good steps last year.” said Gutekunst.

It’s clear when the Packers roster has a void, it will be addressed directly and in bulk. Heading into the season, Green Bay looks good on paper. Yet, this team must gel and come together if they want to return to the playoffs.