General managers get paid the big bucks for a reason. Brian Gutekunst gets far more right than he does wrong, even if the fans disagree in the moment.
Green Bay Packers fans marched toward 1265 Lombardi Ave with pitchforks after Gutekunst boldly traded up for Jordan Love six years ago. But he was right. Many doubted the decision to draft Evan Williams over Jaden Hicks, or when he signed Rasul Douglas off the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad instead of trading for Stephon Gilmore. But he was right.
Other times, though, history favors the consensus of Packers fans. They loudly wanted Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper DeJean. Gutekunst delivered Lukas Van Ness and Jordan Morgan.
Even the best general managers get it wrong. That includes the legendary Ted Thompson, who famously passed on the opportunity to draft Wisconsin's own T.J. Watt, and instead traded down for Kevin King. You know the rest.
We don't yet have the benefit of hindsight, but the Jonathan Gannon-Jim Leonhard debate may become this decade's Watt vs. King.
Matt LaFleur choosing Jonathan Gannon over Jim Leonhard will define the next stage of his Packers tenure
Matt LaFleur landed a contract extension following the Packers' playoff exit, but even with the added long-term security, he has to evolve for this team to reach the next level. That starts with retooling his coaching staff.
LaFleur chose not to wait for Jim Leonhard, who couldn't interview with teams before coaching the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, instead hiring Jonathan Gannon as his next defensive coordinator.
There was reportedly mutual interest between the Packers and Leonhard, with many insiders predicting that LaFleur had him high on his list of candidates. He instead moved in a completely different direction, hiring Gannon before even speaking to Leonhard.
The Buffalo Bills have now hired Leonhard as their new defensive coordinator, and so the comparisons begin.
Did LaFleur get it right with Gannon? Will he prove to be the smart choice? Or did the Packers just blow an opportunity to land a rising star in Leonhard? Rightly or wrongly, fans will track the performance of both coordinators in the years ahead.
Like the Watt-King moment almost a decade ago, LaFleur's choice divided opinion in the fanbase. And that's putting it kindly.
The parallels are obvious. Leonhard is beloved in Wisconsin, just as Watt was. Leonhard was born in Ladysmith, Wisconsin, and spent six seasons coordinating a dominant Badgers defense. Ironically, he briefly crossed paths with Watt, joining the Badgers' staff as the defensive backs coach in 2016, Watt's final year before becoming a first-round pick.
LaFleur opted for the NFL experience of Gannon, and he could be right. Many questioned his decision to hire Jeff Hafley two years ago, a move that seemingly came out of nowhere, but LaFleur nailed it.
Gannon has faced ups and downs in the NFL coaching world, but he provides experience not only as a defensive coordinator but also as a head coach. Leonhard, meanwhile, has led a defense in college, but never in the NFL.
LaFleur's track record with coaching hires is a mixed bag, and this one could define the remainder of his tenure. While the Packers remained patient and handed him a new deal, LaFleur faced the hot seat conversation for the first time. That will quickly return if his team falls short of expectations, especially if Gannon can't build on the foundations Hafley laid for the past two seasons.
And the temperature will only rise if Gannon struggles while Leonhard thrives in Buffalo.
Should we move on, forget about Leonhard, and focus entirely on the Packers? Sure, that makes sense, but it's also not how this works. Packers fans won't forget the move LaFleur made at the Gannon-Leonhard crossroads. It's history repeating itself from Watt and King a decade ago.
LaFleur chose Gannon. Maybe he's right, maybe not. It will be a defining decision, one way or another.