Live Updates: Packers GM Brian Gutekunst’s Press Conference

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst will hold his pre-Scouting Combine news conference at noon Wednesday at Lambeau Field. Follow along for live updates.

The plans for quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is contemplating his future, and receiver Davante Adams, who could be kept on a franchise tag, figure to be hot topics. The team’s massive salary-cap problems, which soared to about $53 million earlier in the week before Kenny Clark’s restructured contract, will be part of the conversation, as well.

(And please pardon any typos as I typed on the fly.)

- Gutekunst “won’t go down those roads” regarding what would happen if Aaron Rodgers requested a trade. Everything centers around the quarterback, he says, in terms of the “puzzle pieces” with the salary cap.

- Gutekunst called using the franchise tag on Davante Adams a “hypothetical.” Would rather reach a “long-term deal that helps both sides.” He says Adams “could possibly” be allowed to leave in free agency.

- Does Rodgers have a deadline to decide? Gutekunst won’t touch that one. The conversation has been about “where we’re headed together.” Team is being “respectful” toward his decision-making process.

- “Last spring was a really good time” for the development of quarterback Jordan Love. Thought he made good strides during the offseason program. “I thought there was some really positive signs” throughout the year.

- Gutekunst feels “very confident” that the team can build around Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams getting new contracts. “You work around” have big contracts on good players.

- Gutekunst calls the end of last season disappointing. “To waste that opportunity, it was very difficult to walk away from that game.” Remains proud of what the team accomplished, though. Likes how the team has got more “rugged” over the years. “Those games are hard. They stick with you for a long time.”

- Doesn’t think team is missing any pieces. Team just needs to play better. That includes, but is not limited to, the play of Rodgers.

- Gutekunst on the draft class. “It will be good to see the guys live” at the Combine. Says it’s a good O-line class. Skill positions are deeper than in past. Pass rush group is deeper “than it has been in a while.” Numbers are up because so many players opted to come back for another season.

- “Those two guys had great years for us,” Gutekunst says of CB Rasul Douglas and LB De’Vondre Campbell, who will be free agents. Obviously, he didn’t comment on their status. Noted it was a great fit with Campbell, who signed in June and became an All-Pro.

- “Going through a pandemic has taught us to be prepared for just about everything,” Gutekunst said of the salary cap. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

- Gutekunst on his relationship with Rodgers: “I’m very appreciative” of the conversations they had throughout the season. Were more frequent this season. “I appreciate his comments” Gutekunst says of Rodgers noting that publicly. “It’s been good. We’re in a much better place.”

- The hiring of Tom Clements as QBs coach shows how the team values Rodgers’ input, Gutekunst said. “He’s an excellent football coach.” Impressed by how he’s developed quarterbacks over the years.

- Noting the team’s cap issues, Gutekunst says they’ve been planning for this for months so it’s not a really big deal, like it is to some fans/reporters.

- More on Campbell and Douglas. They wanted him before he signed with Arizona. Didn’t expect him to be available so deep into the offseason last year. “When the time came for him to make a decision, he looked at our situation and figured it was a pretty good one for him.” … He made “a world of difference” to defense. Hopeful he can be re-signed.

On Douglas, “I’d be lying” if he knew he’d come here and have five interceptions. Credits the coaches for getting him ready and putting him on the field on short notice. “Two great stories. Hopefully we’ll have a chance to get those guys back.”

- On Kenny Clark restructure: “There’ll be many more that we touch” to get to the cap. Will keep options open to create space as needed. Says that was an easy decision.

- Gutekunst says Bisaccia will have a lot of influence on special teams. Says they’ll “have to do some different things” because those issues “have dragged on” too long as a team.

- Gutekunst on using franchise tag: Would rather come to an agreement but “it is a tool to protect one of your star players.”

- To get to the cap won’t require a “fire sale” of veteran players being released. Could be a combination of restructures and some veteran cuts to get to the cap, though.

- Player interviews and medical tests are a big part of the Combine. They’ll be able to talk face-to-face to players this year. (I talked to an agent a week ago who said that was in doubt.) “I’m really looking forward to it.” Likes to see players compete at the Combine. “It’s a big part of what we do.”

Ranking the Packers’ Offseason Needs

No. 11: Running Back

With Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon, the Packers have one of the top one-two punches in the NFL. So long as Kylin Hill recovers from the ACL tear sustained at midseason, the Packers don’t even have a long-term need if they decide to move on from Jones after the 2022 season.

No. 10: Safety

Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage form a high-quality tandem but the depth is lacking. Henry Black wasn’t good enough as the No. 3 safety in 2021 and former seventh-round pick Vernon Scott fell off the face of the earth. Amos will be entering his final season under contract with a cap charge of almost $12 million. A well-deserved extension would kill two birds with one stone. Savage also will be entering his final year under contract, unless the team flips the switch on the fifth-year option. So long as Amos and Savage return, the need really is for depth.

No. 9: Quarterback

Signs point to Aaron Rodgers’ return to the team he’s led since replacing Brett Favre in 2008. Maybe Tom Clements is hungry for a paycheck, but it’s hard to believe a 68-year-old coach with no ties to Matt LaFleur would come out of retirement to coach Jordan Love and Kurt Benkert. If Rodgers is coming back, it presumably will be with a new contract. How long is that contract? And if it phases Love out of the equation altogether, is it time for the Packers to draft the next quarterback-in-waiting?

No. 8: Specialists

Questions, questions and more questions.

Those start with kicker Mason Crosby. Crosby is entering his final season under contract with a cap number of $4.735 million that will rank seventh among kickers. He is coming off a dismal season in which his 73.5 percent success rate on field goals ranked next-to-last among kickers with at least 20 attempts. He’ll turn 38 before the start of the season and the Packers can save almost $2.4 million by making a change. JJ Molson, who spent the year on the practice squad, has a big leg but wasn’t even a reliable kicker at UCLA.

Punter Corey Bojorquez, who was excellent to start the season but struggled down the stretch, will be a free agent. With a booming leg, it’s easy to see how he could be a man in demand.

Long snapper Steven Wirtel figures to be back with a challenger.

No. 7: Cornerback

When Jaire Alexander went down with a serious shoulder injury, the Packers tried but failed to land All-Pro Stephon Gilmore. Incredibly, not much more than an hour after Gilmore signed with Carolina, the Packers announced the signing of Rasul Douglas off Arizona’s practice squad. Gilmore was really good for the Panthers but Douglas was great. He ranked among the NFL leaders with five interceptions even though he started only nine games. It will be interesting to see how he’s viewed around the NFL when free agency begins. Will he be seen as the journeyman he had been? Or will he be seen as a lockdown corner? Slot corner Chandon Sullivan and injury-prone Kevin King also will be free agents. So, while Alexander and Eric Stokes could form a marquee duo, the depth is really lacking with only Shemar Jean-Charles, Kabion Ento and Kiondre Thomas under contract.

No. 6: Offensive Line

So long as David Bakhtiari finally gets past the ACL injury that ruined his 2021 season, the Packers are in good shape. Valuable veteran guard/center Lucas Patrick will be a free agent, as will veteran right tackle Dennis Kelly, and there’s a chance versatile right tackle Billy Turner will be released to save about $3.36 million against the cap. Even without those three players, the Packers could line up with a quality front of Bakhtiari at left tackle, Jon Runyan at left guard, Josh Myers at center, Royce Newman at right guard and Yosh Nijman at right tackle. Then, when 2020 Pro Bowler Elgton Jenkins returns from his ACL tear, he could be plugged in, really, at any position. Clearly, the Packers would need another tackle if they lose Turner and Kelly.

No. 5: Outside Linebacker

This one is tied to the fate of Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith. In terms of 2022 cap, Za’Darius Smith ranks fourth among edge rushers ($27.66 million) and Preston Smith ranks 13th ($19.72 million). Getting rid of both players would take care of more than half the team’s cap problems but also leave behind a paper-thin depth chart topped by Rashan Gary and Tipa Galeai/Jonathan Garvin. Chances are, the Packers will release Za’Darius Smith – he’s already scrubbed the Packers from his social-media accounts – and extend Preston Smith. Releasing Za’Darius Smith would save $15.28 million against the cap. Extending Preston Smith could easily cut his cap charge in half. Even with Gary and Preston Smith as the starting duo, the Packers would need more. Galeai and Garvin did next to nothing as the next men up in 2021. If the price is right, the Packers could re-sign veteran Whitney Mercilus.

No. 4: Receiver

So, signs point to Rodgers coming back. Would Rodgers come back without Davante Adams? That seems unlikely. So, let’s pencil in Adams returning on the franchise tag and with an eventual extension. Allen Lazard figures to be back as a restricted free agent, but Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown are set to be unrestricted free agents and Randall Cobb could be a cap-saving cut. So, the need here is rather large even with the best-case scenario of Adams coming back to “murder” opposing defensive backs for 2022 and beyond. The worst-case scenario looks something like this: Lazard, Juwann Winfree and Malik Taylor at receiver and Amari Rodgers in the slot. Rodgers might instantly retire if that’s the case.

No. 3: Tight End

The bad news is Robert Tonyan’s torn ACL robbed the team of a top weapon for the second half of the season. The good news is the injury likely means a lesser price tag to retain one of Rodgers’ trusted targets. After all, had he come close to replicating his 2020 production (88.1 percent catch rate, zero drops, 11 touchdowns), he might have gotten a big contract in free agency. While he’s under contract for 2022, Marcedes Lewis’ future is a mystery, too. He’s a reliable blocker and beloved leader. He also had a killer fumble against San Francisco, his position coach went to Denver and he will turn 38 in May. Josiah Deguara, a third-round pick in 2020, looks like a good role player but not a front-line performer.

No. 2: Defensive Line

The Packers have a true centerpiece with Kenny Clark. There’s nothing but questions, otherwise. The Packers could release Dean Lowry and save $4.08 million against the cap. Goodness knows they have cap problems and Lowry just isn’t an $8 million player. On the other hand, Tyler Lancaster will be a free agent and Kingsley Keke was released in January. That leaves Clark, TJ Slaton and Jack Heflin as the only other defensive linemen certain to be under contract. Even if Lowry and Lancaster return, the Packers need more up front. Then again, they always need more up front but never add any true contributors.

No. 1: Inside Linebacker

The Packers found an All-Pro in the free-agent bargain bin when they signed De’Vondre Campbell in June. The odds of lightning striking twice is somewhere between slim and none. Campbell was excellent and the Packers obviously would love to have him back. Will they be able to afford him? That depends largely on how he’s viewed by the other 31 teams. Will he be seen as the quality starter who wasn’t worth a significant investment when a free agent in 2020 and 2021? Or will he be seen as one of the best linebackers in the NFL? In other words, will he be viewed as a three-year, $20 million player or a three-year, $30 million player? If they can’t re-sign Campbell, this position immediately becomes the obvious starting point for every mock draft. The Packers just can’t go into a season with Krys Barnes and Ty Summers as the starters.

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