Alan Truex: Gutekunst makes a name for himself as Packers draftmaster
Brian Gutekunst is someone I don’t want to write about. Nothing personal, but his name is such a challenge to the keyboard that I want to leave him alone, like the Greek Freak. But Gutekunst, a name fraught with the most horrific of typo threats, simply cannot be ignored.
The rookie general manager of the Green Bay Packers emerged from last week’s draft drama at Jerryworld with a team that could be the best in the NFL.
For the first time in four years the Packers are worthy of Aaron Rodgers. The question their front office is weary of hearing: “How can a team with such a talented quarterback achieve so little?” They won the Super Bowl in 2010 and haven’t been back since.
Critics point to stupid decisions with the rest of the roster. Too many Ex-Packers in Pro Bowls: Josh Sitton, Casey Hayward, Micah Hyde. Under Ted Thompson’s general managing, the Packers rarely tried to improve through free agency or trades, and they didn’t draft so well either. Rodgers got better, they got worse.
Rodgers would like for the team’s management to consult him about personnel moves. Perhaps he could have talked them out of trading his favorite receiver or skimping on pass protection. Jordy Nelson is gone, after Pro Bowl guards Sitton and T.J. Lang were deemed unnecessary.
But Rodgers was encouraged last week when Gutekunst, 44, maneuvered with the dexterity of master draftsman Bill Belichick. Gutekunst traded up and then down in the first round for a fast cornerback (40 yards in 4.38), Jaire Alexander of Louisville. Next, Gutekunst doubled down on the corners with Iowa’s Josh Jackson in the second round.
In trading from 14th to 27th for Alexander, Gutekunst acquired the New Orleans Saints’ first-round pick for 2019, so enthralled were they with 6-7 edge rusher Marcus Davenport.
Rodgers, who was watching the Greek Freak at an NBA playoff game in Milwaukee, happily tweeted: “Bucks win and we get a CB and an extra first.”
Last week’s draft was filled with corners, though no Marshawn Lattimore at the top. Gutekunst probably was correct in thinking he could find as solid a cornerback at No. 27 as he could at 14. Have your cake and eat it too.
As for Belichick, he thinks, like Gutekunst, that the next draft will be more bountiful than this. After a closeup look at Lamar Jackson, Belichick passed, because Jackson couldn’t, at least not well enough to be Tom Brady’s successor.
So Belichick shored up his O-line and pass defense and added second- and third-round picks in 2019. End result: As usual he has the deepest, best-quarterbacked team in the AFC and a promising future as well. His players may not enjoy playing for him, but they like winning with him.
Super Bowl champion Philadelphia also looked ahead, giving up its first rounder for help next year. In the process the Eagles are thin in the secondary, after losing the league’s best slot corner, Patrick Robinson, to New Orleans via free agency. They’re also without a blocking tight end.
In the third round Gutekunst traded up to draft inside linebacker Oren Burks, and draftniks howled about it being a reach. At 6-3, 235 pounds he’s not a thumper.
Burks is the new wave – fast running and thinking (Vanderbilt education) 3-4 inside backers built like a strong-safety. Deone Bucannon in Arizona is the prototype that Mark Barron would like to be.
With his 4.58 speed Burks can cover a tight end down the field or a running back slipping out of the backfield. That was a major problem for Green Bay in 2017. Jake Ryan could not cover. Nor could many other Packers.
Injuries were partly to blame, of course. Their best cornerback, Kevin King, missed half the season. Linebacker Nick Perry played with a broken hand.
They all played for a coordinator, Dom Capers, who was fired after too many years of coaching down the talent he had. Clay Matthews, one of the rangiest, smartest and most versatile of linebackers, was not impactful last season, with eight sacks and 44 tackles.
And despite a far-tracking Pro Bowl safety named, of all things, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, the Pack gave up 68% completions and 30 touchdowns. They made everybody look like Aaron Rodgers.
There will be more aggression with Mike Pettine as defensive coordinator. He coached high-ranking defenses for the Jets and Bills to earn a promotion to head coach. Unfortunately it was with the Cleveland Browns. He lasted two full seasons, and then he had two years rehabbing from PBT (Post-Browns Trauma). “Beaten up, physically and mentally,” he actually said.
With Gutekunst drafting corners in rounds 1 and 2 and a cover linebacker in the third, Pettine will have sub packages to match up against receivers of all kinds.
And Matthews will be moving around, not so easy to double-team.
On offense there’s more athleticism but not as much thinking on the sidelines. Head coach Mike McCarthy is overcautious and repetitious. He won’t provide the schematic edge that Drew Brees gets from Sean Payton and Tom Brady from Belichick and New England’s offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
Rodgers has noticed, and he may start giving Gutekunst input whether or not it’s requested. But I’m not sure Rodgers really wants to input. His locker-room leadership – already suspect – will diminish if teammates think he’s advising the GM on who to pay and who to trade. Just throw the damn ball!
If Rodgers stays healthy — as he didn’t last year — he should have one of his finest seasons. At 34 he has more receiving options than he’s ever had and more of a running threat than he’s had since Eddie Lacy was skinny.
Gutekunst signed a Pro Bowl tight end, Jimmy Graham, who was ill suited to Seattle’s smash-mouth offense but will be comfortable with the air time in Green Bay. It can be almost like it was with Drew Brees, catch-run-score, Graham at 31 being a step slower than he was then.
But like Brees and the Saints, Rodgers will have play-action, a newly healthy O-line clearing room for a newly healthy Aaron Jones, who, lest we forget, rushed for 5.5 yards per carry and 4 TDs as a rookie. Converted receiver Ty Montgomery can assume the role that suits him: third-down back. Rodgers won’t miss Nelson for long, with Davante Adams streaking outside and Graham, Randall Cobb and Montgomery flooding underneath.
Of course health is the ongoing crisis for every NFL team, and perhaps Green Bay more than most. Predictions seem beside the point, though what you see now is what you’ll see in September, minus the inevitable losses from non-contact drills and the even more debilitating, as well as overly long, preseason.
Brian Gutekunst, a name we will learn whether we want to or not, has a bold and vigorous approach to building a champion. First impression is he knows what he’s doing.