Gutekunst Has Packers Going Green in 2023

GREEN BAY, Wis. – With the start of training camp just one day away, the Green Bay Packers have traded their AARP cards for their learner’s permit.

Last season, in a rarity, the Packers fielded a roster almost as old as the league average. Having sent Aaron Rodgers to the Jets and gone significantly younger at receiver, tight end, defensive line, safety and kicker, the Packers probably will field one of the youngest rosters in the NFL 2023.

“I think this is a young man’s game. You’ve heard a lot of people up here say that,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said during his pre-training camp news conference on Tuesday morning at Lambeau Field. “You’ve got be kind of green and growing. I think [Hall of Fame Browns coach] Paul Brown might’ve said that way back in the day.”

Starting with the first practice of camp on Wednesday, two sets of joint practices and three preseason games, there’s a long way to go until the Packers kick off the season at Chicago on Sept. 10.

The young players must prove they’re worthy of starting roles or key backup positions. Older players might become available.

“I think we’ll see how it goes,” Gutekunst said in various ways several times on Tuesday.

With Jordan Love replacing Rodgers, the Packers are 15 years younger at starting quarterback. Will he need to play this preseason – not just for himself but to build cohesion with young receivers?

“It’s a little bit of that double-edged thing,” Gutekunst said. “You’d like to see him play a lot if you could promise me we could protect him and keep him healthy. It’s a feel thing for what [coach Matt LaFleur] feels he needs. I go back and forth. There’s part of me, with all these young players, not just Jordan, you want to see them play a lot, but there’s times you just want to, [to quote] Ted Thompson, bubble-wrap them and get to the first game and figure it out.”

Only three receivers on the roster have caught a pass in a game. Combined, 2022 rookies Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure have caught 88 passes. Every team in the NFL has at least one receiver with more career receptions.

Gutekunst could have re-signed Allen Lazard or Randall Cobb or added a veteran, but chose to let the young receivers grow alongside the young quarterback. So, instead of having a going-on-33-year-old Cobb to provide mentorship, the Packers will lean into a depth chart in which the top four receivers entering camp are 25 (Toure), 24 (Watson) and 23 (Doubs and rookie Jayden Reed).

“Obviously, we’re very excited about that group and how they’re going to grow together with Jordan and the whole offense,” Gutekunst said. “We look at all those things, and we’ll continue to, and if the right player and the right price and all that kind of stuff comes around, we’ll certainly contemplate it and see if that makes some sense.

“But the players we have right now in that group need to play. They need the reps. So, we’re excited about that.”

Rookie Anders Carlson, who is the only kicker on the roster, is 13 years younger than Mason Crosby, who is nearing top-10 status all-time for points and field goals.

“We’ll see how training camp goes to see if that makes sense,” Gutekunst said about adding another.

On the defensive line, 30-year-old Jarran Reed and 29-year-old Dean Lowry combined to play almost 1,200 snaps in 32 games with 26 starts last year. They left in free agency and will be replaced in the starting lineup by 25-year-old TJ Slaton (two starts in two years) and 25-year-old Devonte Wyatt (zero starts as a rookie). Nobody else on the depth chart has played in a game. Rookies Colby Wooden (22) and Karl Brooks (23) might be the next men up.

“A couple of those guys are going to have to take some quick steps and get up to speed in a hurry, but we’re excited about what they can do,” Gutekunst said. “I think we have a lot of pass-rush potential in that group but, obviously, it all starts with stopping the run. I think TJ made some great strides last year and I’m excited for what he can do. Obviously, Kenny’s going to anchor that thing and Devonte. Those are the three guys we’re counting on the most.”

Gutekunst continued with 44 more words about the defensive line that could have been applied to just about every position on the depth chart.

“We’ve got a couple young guys that have done a really good job so far,” he said, “but there’s a long way to go. We haven’t had a practice in pads yet so we’ve got a long ways to go for that, but we’ll see.”

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