Rasul Douglas hung up on Packers GM after getting traded
The Green Bay Packers' decision to trade Rasul Douglas reveals their thoughts on their current situation.
A contending Packers team would laugh at any offers for a key starter and leader like Douglas. But this year is different. Green Bay has lost four of its past five games and looks a million miles off NFC contention. With limited cap space, an inexperienced roster, and several concerns across the roster, the Packers understand they have to take a step back before moving forward.
That included trading Douglas. General manager Brian Gutekunst said the offer came "out of the blue" and was something they couldn't "pass up at this time."
Packers fans were left disappointed and surprised by the decision, but they weren't alone.
Rasul Douglas reacts to trade from Packers to Bills
From Douglas' perspective, there are plenty of reasons to be positive about the deal. He switches a team en route to a top-five pick for a chance to win a Super Bowl. Douglas joins an excellent Buffalo secondary featuring another former Packer, Micah Hyde.
However, he didn't see it that way when he found out about the trade. According to ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg, Douglas hung up on Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst when he found out. He didn't believe it was true.
Rasul Douglas said that he found out that he was being traded somewhere in the 3p.m. hour on Tuesday.
— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) November 2, 2023
He said that Packers GM Brian Gutekunst called him and said they were trading him and Douglas hung up on him because he didn’t believe him.
Douglas said he cried together with running back Aaron Jones after finding out the news, according to Getzenberg.
The Packers will miss Douglas. He is everything they look for. Douglas always gives full effort, demands the same from his teammates, and is a leader the other players look up to. And he is a game-changer. Douglas made 10 interceptions in 36 games for the Packers, including two pick-sixes.
It was always going to be a tough decision to move on. The Packers had to take the emotion out of it and make a move they felt was best for their long-term future.
But there's no doubt that Green Bay will miss Douglas, starting this week in a matchup against Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua.
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