Rodgers Trusts Gutekunst Will Make Right Moves
GREEN BAY, Wis. – In Gutekunst We Trust.
Well, in this case, it’s in Gutekunst Rodgers Trusts.
If the Green Bay Packers are going to take the next step and get to – and win – the Super Bowl next season, it will be up to the Aaron Rodgers-led offense to be more efficient, more explosive and more productive than in 2019. The Packers finished just 15th in the league in scoring, 18th in total offense and 23rd on third down last season. They were overwhelmed by the 49ers’ powerful defense in the two biggest games of the season.
Led by general manager Brian Gutekunst, major changes appear to be on the way. Tight end Jimmy Graham, who finished third on the team in passing targets, isn’t expected back. Receiver Geronimo Allison, who was fifth in targets and had an awful season, is headed to free agency. Receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who finished fourth in targets, and Jake Kumerow, who finished eighth, will be back but will have to fight for their roster spots.
“I’m not sure what we’re thinking at this point,” Rodgers said on the “Wilde and Tausch” radio program on ESPN Wisconsin on Friday. “I know there’s been a lot of conversations and I’ve seen a couple mock drafts that have us taking receivers in the first round, which would obviously be a first for my time in Green Bay, which would be interesting. I know it’s a really deep receiver class.”
It’s not just the roster, in general, and pass-catching corps, in particular, that’s in limbo. The fate of a proposed collective bargaining agreement will have a major impact on the amount of flexibility Gutekunst will have in free agency. As it stands, according to OverTheCap.com, the Packers have $20.46 million of cap space. Only eight teams have less. Releasing Graham would create $8 million of cap space, though a contract extension for Kenny Clark would gobble up a big chunk of it.
So, Gutekunst will be unable to replicate last year’s shopping spree, which netted Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith, Adrian Amos and Billy Turner. Plus, he owns the 30th pick of the first round rather than the 12th and 30th.
“I trust Brian and his staff,” Rodgers said. “He’s done a heck of a job. The additions he made last year, we had some great talks afterward about those guys, even before I got to meet them and see how dynamic the personalities were, and obviously the production was really important. We have a little less room than we had last year cap-wise, but I’m sure that Brian’s going to put together the best squad that he can based on the cap. Obviously, there’s some important decisions to make with guys who are currently under contract. But I feel really good about where we’re at. Obviously, we’re in the mix. We’re competitive. We have a chance to win it. The window’s open. That’s all really exciting stuff. I’m sure he has his eyes on some folks that he wants to bring in, and I look forward to seeing what that looks like next week.”
