Off the franchise’s first non-playoff season since 2008, the Green Bay Packers have been very busy making changes within the organization from top to bottom. Not long after he took the time to ink wide receiver Davante Adams and center Corey Linsley to contract extensions, longtime General Manager Ted Thompson was reassigned by the team and will play a different role. Hence the team with more NFL titles than any other in league annals was in search for his replacement. And the Pack didn’t have to look far when it came to Thompson’s successor. And the move was far from a surprise given the franchise’s history.
The not-so-new guy
This week, the club promoted director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst to general manager. The 44-year-old executive has worked his way up the NFL ranks dating back to 1995, when he aided Jim Mora’s coaching staff with the New Orleans Saints. After serving as a scouting intern for the Packers in 1997 and a scouting assistant for the Kansas City Chiefs one year later, he was hired by Green Bay and has been with the team ever since. A total of 13 years as a scout for the East Coast region (1999-2000) and then the Southeast region (2001-11) was followed by his promotion to director of player personnel. Gutekunst spent the last two seasons as director of player personnel.
“We could not be more excited to elevate Brian to the position of general manager…,” said Green Bay Packers’ president and chief executive officer Mark Murphy to Packers.com this week.
“His time under the direction of former Packers general managers Ron Wolf and Ted Thompson will undoubtedly serve him well as we work toward our next Super Bowl championship…”
Going forward
Obviously, there is a lot of work to be done when it comes to this perennial power. The Green Bay Packers not only missed the playoffs this past season but also come off their first losing campaign since 2008.
The absence of quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the majority of the season was a major factor for the club’s demise but far from the only reason. The club’s defensive unit once again failed to make an impact, hence the decision to part ways with coordinator Dom Capers after nine seasons was hardly unexpected. Gutekunst has some decisions to make in terms of bringing back 2018 potential free agents such as safety Morgan Burnett, tight end Richard Rodgers and cornerback Davon House. The good news for the Packers is that (pun intended) they opted to make a change at the top and decided to keep it “in-house.”
