Green Bay Packers fans can't have too many complaints about Brian Gutekunst's work in free agency over the years.
In 2019, he signed Za'Darius Smith, Preston Smith, Adrian Amos, and Billy Turner—all four became key starters. Preston Smith is still an important player.
Gutekunst made bargain moves like signing De'Vondre Campbell and Keisean Nixon, who both became All-Pros with the Packers. He also made excellent in-season additions like Bashaud Breeland and Rasul Douglas.
The Packers have spent well in free agency under Gutekunst, but not every move has gone to plan. Signing free agents comes with risk. Many free-agent additions don't work out, leaving teams with big cap hits for players who didn't meet expectations.
For all of Gutekunst's excellent work in free agency, he also missed on a few of his signings.
3. Devin Funchess
The Packers needed to add a wide receiver to pair with Davante Adams in the 2020 offseason. They missed out on Justin Jefferson and Brandon Aiyuk in the draft and picked Jordan Love ahead of Tee Higgins (which turned out to be a great decision).
Green Bay signed veteran receiver Devin Funchess to a one-year, $2.5 million deal. Funchess opted out of the 2020 season but returned to Green Bay the following year.
Funchess played in one preseason game but suffered a hamstring injury. The Packers placed him on injured reserve and released him a couple of days later.
Green Bay needed better receiving depth, but its only additions in 2020 and 2021 were Funchess and Amari Rodgers.
The Packers' front office has put its team in a position to contend next season and you can spend the offseason boosting your bankroll to bet on them thanks to BetMGM. You'll instantly win $150 in bonus bets if you sign up, deposit $10 or more and then bet $5 or more on ANY wager. Sign up with BetMGM with this Lombardi Ave link today.
2. Sammy Watkins
The year is 2022. Despite signing Aaron Rodgers to a new contract—a move intended to lower his cap hit and allow the Packers to build a Super Bowl roster—they traded Davante Adams and let Marquez Valdes-Scantling depart in free agency.
Wide receiver became an urgent need, especially considering the Packers had serious Super Bowl aspirations with Rodgers late in his career. There were opportunities. The free-agent market included Allen Robinson and Christian Kirk, while the Philadelphia Eagles traded for star receiver A.J. Brown.
Instead, Green Bay signed Sammy Watkins to a one-year, $1.85 million contract. Watkins had been a solid WR3 in Kansas City, but he was now tasked with becoming a go-to target along with Allen Lazard while the Packers eased in rookies Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs.
Watkins only played nine games in Green Bay, catching 13 passes for 206 yards. The Packers released him in December 2022.
It was a head-scratching decision from Gutekunst. Why keep Rodgers only to trade Adams the same week? And while they were supposedly all-in to win a championship with Rodgers, why didn't they make a big move for a wide receiver following Adams' departure?
Predictably, expecting Watkins to play a featured role didn't go to plan.
1. Jimmy Graham
One of Gutekunst's first moves as Packers general manager was to release franchise legend Jordy Nelson. The move was understandable—Nelson's play had declined, and he was entering his age-33 season.
The problem was how Gutekunst replaced Nelson.
Green Bay signed tight end Jimmy Graham to a three-year, $30 million deal. It was viewed as a risk at the time, as Graham was 31 and coming off a career-low in receiving yards and yards per reception.
And those fears became a reality. The Packers released Graham after two seasons, with the veteran catching 93 passes for 1,083 yards and five touchdowns. His numbers were OK, but Graham never became the difference-maker the Packers hoped they had signed.
Graham couldn't block, struggled to add yards after the catch, and wasn't a consistent red-zone target. Having caught 10 touchdowns in his final season in Seattle, the Packers hoped for more than five in his two years in Green Bay.
It quickly became clear that Graham wasn't the Packers' answer at the tight end position, and the team moved on with a year remaining on his contract. Despite struggling in Green Bay, the Chicago Bears signed Graham in free agency—of course they did.
Handing Graham a $30 million contract was Gutekunst's biggest free agency mistake.