Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst has made some great moves over the past five years and he deserves a lot of credit. However, even the best GMs make decisions they regret.
We can look back over Gutekunst's home runs, like drafting Jaire Alexander, Rashan Gary, and Elgton Jenkins, but there have also been a fair share of mistakes.
Along with Aaron Rodgers' contract extension, which we'll come to shortly, Gutekunst may regret making these moves as Packers GM.
10. Packers 2018 draft class after Jaire Alexander
Gutekunst stepped up to the plate for the first time as Packers general manager in 2018, and he hit the first round out of the park. In two trades, Green Bay ended up with future All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander and a 2019 first-round pick from the New Orleans Saints.
However, Gutekunst's flying start didn't continue into the next rounds. The Packers made 10 more selections in the 2018 draft, but none of them earned a second contract in Green Bay.
The Packers missed badly on cornerback Josh Jackson, inside linebacker Oren Burks, and wide receiver J'Mon Moore, the three picks made after Alexander.
Fifth-rounder Marquez Valdes-Scantling became a key contributor on offense, but the Packers didn't re-sign him after his rookie deal.
Alexander made this draft class a success, but Gutekunst made some bad decisions after the first round.
9. Ignoring special teams for far too long
Thankfully, Brian Gutekunst has placed an emphasis on adding special teams contributors over the past year. However, it took a playoff humiliation to finally make significant changes.
The Packers ignored special teams for far too long. After years of disappointing play on fourth down, the Packers hit rock bottom when a blocked field goal and blocked punt returned for a touchdown cost them in the divisional round loss to the San Francisco 49ers in January 2022.
8. Not drafting Creed Humphrey
The Packers needed a center in the 2021 NFL Draft, and Gutekunst chose Josh Myers over Creed Humphrey, who went a pick later. Myers has been frustratingly inconsistent, while Humphrey is an All-Pro and Pro Bowler for the Kansas City Chiefs.
We're only two years removed from the 2021 draft, but Gutekunst got this one wrong.
7. Signing Jimmy Graham
Green Bay needed a tight end in 2018, but signing Jimmy Graham to a three-year, $30 million contract was not the answer.
Graham failed to make an impact for the Packers, catching just five touchdown passes over two seasons. The Packers released Graham with a year remaining on his deal, and he ended up signing for the Chicago Bears.
Gutekunst took a risk, and it didn't work out.
6. Trading up for Amari Rodgers
In need of a wide receiver, the Packers made a bold trade in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, giving up a fourth-rounder to move up for Clemson's Amari Rodgers.
The Packers needed help in the slot, so Rodgers seemed like a natural fit. However, before his rookie season, Rodgers fell down the depth chart after Green Bay traded for Randall Cobb. Rodgers only made four receptions in his rookie season while struggling on special teams.
In 2022, Rodgers had more fumbles than receptions and was released only 10 games into his second season.
5. Not drafting a wide receiver in 2019, 2020
At least the Packers tried to improve their wide receiver corps in 2021. They didn't get help at the position in either the 2019 or 2020 drafts. And it's not like they didn't have opportunities.
Green Bay passed on A.J. Brown and DK Metcalf in the second round of the 2019 draft, although, to Gutekunst's defense, he used that pick on Pro Bowler Elgton Jenkins. But he could've selected one of them with one of the team's two first-round choices.
The Packers also had the chance to draft Terry McLaurin and Tee Higgins.
Coming away with no wide receivers in those two draft classes set the Packers back.
4. Drafting Jace Sternberger
Building on from the last point, Terry McLaurin was one of the wide receivers the Packers passed on in the 2019 NFL Draft. One selection before McLaurin went to the Washington Commanders, Green Bay selected Texas A&M tight end Jace Sternberger.
Sternberger was brought in to fix the Packers' need at tight end, primarily due to his receiving ability.
It never worked out for Sternberger in Green Bay. He struggled to get on the field and didn't make an impact when he did. The third-round pick had 114 yards and one touchdown across two seasons before being released early in his third season.
3. Not trading Aaron Rodgers in 2022
The time to trade Aaron Rodgers was a year ago.
Despite coming off back-to-back MVP seasons, the Packers couldn't get over the finish line. Disappointing home playoff losses to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco 49ers meant a return to the Super Bowl had to wait.
The Packers were limited in cap room and were set to lose some important players. Running it back wasn't the answer. Finding a trade partner for Rodgers before he signed a huge new deal was the way to go.
Gutekunst didn't do it, and now the Packers are paying for it.
2. Trading Davante Adams
This was complicated. Davante Adams wanted to go. In the end, Gutekunst had little choice but to trade away the Packers' All-Pro wide receiver. But the entire mess could've been avoided.
Had the Packers been willing to make Adams the highest-paid receiver in the league the summer before, which he deserved, he may have already extended his contract before the offseason.
The trade also came just days after Aaron Rodgers had committed to play in 2022. If the Packers knew Adams wouldn't be back, re-signing Rodgers was not a good decision. It had to be one or the other. Green Bay runs it back with its star players, including Adams, or it resets and trades both of them.
The Packers settled for a middle ground, and their 8-9 record reflected that.
1. Aaron Rodgers' contract extension
The Packers and Aaron Rodgers were at a crossroads last year. Due to his salary cap hit, something needed to be done. If Rodgers didn't retire, the Packers either had to trade him or pay him. They chose the latter, giving Rodgers a three-year extension worth $150.8 million.
Twelve months later, the Packers gave permission for Rodgers to speak with the New York Jets and entered trade negotiations.
The extension helped lower his 2022 cap hit, but the Packers are now forced to pay for it. If and when Rodgers is traded, the Packers will pay over $40 million in dead cap, while likely receiving far less trade compensation than they would've gotten a year ago.
The Packers paid Rodgers and got a one-year, 8-9 season out of it. Now they are scrambling to move on and get the contract off their books.