Packers GM Gutekunst: 'Goals don't change' without Rodgers

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst disputes the idea that trading four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers means starting a rebuilding project.

“The goals don’t change around here,” Gutekunst said Monday while confirming a trade sending Rodgers to the New York Jets should be finalized this week. “It’s going to be the same goals we’ve always had, right? There’s one goal here every single year, no matter what.”

That goal has been a realistic one for the Packers for the past three decades because they had Hall of Fame-caliber quarterback production most of those seasons, first with Brett Favre and later with Rodgers.

Favre and Rodgers combined to win seven MVP awards. Each brought a Super Bowl title to Green Bay. Now their Packers tenures end the same way, with a trade to the Jets.

Although Gutekunst said Monday that the trade hasn’t been finalized, he expects it to be done in the next couple of days.

A person familiar with the situation said the Jets would receive Rodgers, the No. 15 overall pick and a fifth-rounder this year from the Packers for the 13th overall selection, a second-round pick (No. 42 overall), a sixth-rounder and a conditional 2024 second-round pick that can become a first-rounder if Rodgers plays 65% of plays for New York next season.

Rodgers’ exit makes way for Jordan Love, the 2020 first-round pick from Utah State who has made one career start. Love has backed up Rodgers the past three seasons, just as Rodgers backed up Favre for three years before taking over.

“We're really excited where Jordan could go,” Gutekunst said. "He needs to play, and having him sit another year, I think, would have really delayed kind of where we were going and what we’re trying to build.”

Gutekunst was asked about the risk in making this kind of move.

“There’s risk in the National Football League, but I mean, we were 8-9 last year,” Gutekunst said. “You know what I mean? So we’re trying to get better.”

Gutekunst said the Packers decided earlier in the offseason that this move “made a little bit of sense for us.” Gutekunst referenced the age of Rodgers, who turned 39 in December. Gutekunst said he wanted to talk over the possibilities with Rodgers but couldn’t reach him.

Rodgers and Gutekunst had a conversation shortly after the season, but Gutekunst said they haven’t talked to each other since. Gutekunst said he has talked “quite a bit” with David Dunn, Rodgers’ agent.

Could this situation have ended differently if Rodgers and Gutekunst had spoken to each other?

“That’s a hypothetical,” Gutekunst said. “Who knows? I would have liked to have it. It didn’t happen. It kind of is what it is.”

Rodgers said last month on “The Pat McAfee Show” on YouTube and SiriusXM that he was told after the season to take as long as he wanted to decide on his future, but he returned from a darkness retreat in late February and got indications the Packers wanted to move on from him.

Rodgers won MVP awards in 2020 and 2021, but didn’t match that production last season as he played with a broken right thumb for much of the season.

Gutekunst said Love made notable strides during that season.

“There were a number of times because of Aaron’s injuries where he had to kind of take over the ones during practice in some of the competitive areas, and I just think you saw him grow and grow and grow,” Gutekunst said.

The Packers must add more playmakers to surround Love.

Green Bay lost its 2022 leader in catches and yards receiving when Allen Lazard signed with the Jets.

Tight end Robert Tonyan, who caught 53 passes for 470 yards, has joined the Chicago Bears.

Although Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs performed well as rookies last season, they’re the only Green Bay wideouts currently under contract who had at least 100 yards receiving last season. Josiah Deguara, who had 13 catches for 114 yards last season, is the top tight end under contract.

Love showed promise last season by going 6 of 9 for 113 yards and a touchdown in relief of an injured Rodgers in a 40-33 loss at Philadelphia.

Gutekunst compared this transition to the one the Packers made in 2008 when Rodgers took over for Favre. The Packers went 6-10 during Rodgers’ first season as a starter, but won a Super Bowl title two years later.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur noted at the NFL owners meetings last month that “we’ve all got to kind of temper our expectations” for what Love can do immediately.

“Certainly I think we’re fooling ourselves if we think he’s going to go out there and perform at a level to the likes of what Aaron Rodgers (has done),” LaFleur said. “This guy is a once-in-a-lifetime, a generational talent. And I don’t think it necessarily started that way when he first started, you know. But he progressed into that.”

No matter how the Packers fare in Love’s first season as a starter, Rodgers figures to cast quite a shadow from about 1,000 miles away. One of the greatest Packers of all time will be finishing his career wearing a different uniform.

“It’ll probably hit me a little bit at some other juncture when I don’t have a lot on my plate,” Gutekunst said. “I know this — he’ll always be a Packer. He’ll be one of the best who have ever done it around here. I have a lot of respect for how he went about it and he’ll be missed. There’s no doubt about it.

“Players like that don’t come around very often, but at the same time, we’re really excited where we’re headed and what we’re moving to do and (we) wish him nothing but the best.”