Packers’ smartest offseason moves reinforce Brian Gutekunst’s long-term roster-building philosophy
Green Bay didn’t have as many resources as usual, but the front office was still able to make some impactful additions.
The Green Bay Packers had an eventful offseason defined by significant player departures, strategic trades, and targeted free agency additions.
General manager Brian Gutekunst orchestrated a series of moves that fundamentally altered the roster, and while the Packers likely experienced a net loss in pure talent, the front office planned for those departures well in advance.
Replacement options are already in place for most of the key losses, which speaks to how Green Bay approaches long-term roster construction.
So, let’s discuss the best of what happened. We also have an article about the worst moves here.
Trading Rashan Gary was the clear win
The best move of the offseason was undoubtedly trading edge rusher Rashan Gary to the Dallas Cowboys. Gary had underperformed relative to his contract and was set to make $18 million this year. Moving on from that salary for that level of production was already sound business on its own, but Gutekunst managed to extract a 2027 fourth-round pick from Dallas in the process.
That’s the part that elevates the move from good to great. It was obvious to the rest of the league that Green Bay would either release or trade Gary before the season. Despite that lack of leverage, the Packers still secured meaningful draft capital in return. Gutekunst has shown a consistent ability to find value in these situations, and the Gary trade was another example of the front office refusing to simply cut ties when there’s an opportunity to recoup assets.
Benjamin St-Juste signing carries upside worth the gamble
The second-best move was signing cornerback Benjamin St-Juste in free agency. This is a low-risk, high-reward addition that fits how Green Bay typically operates in the veteran market. St-Juste signed for just $5 million this year, a modest commitment for a player coming off a strong 2025 season with the Los Angeles Chargers.
The risk is real, though. St-Juste has already missed some offseason time due to an injury, and he dealt with several injury issues throughout his NFL career, particularly during his tenure in Washington. Those durability concerns are the reason his market stayed affordable. But when healthy and on the field as a part-time player for the Chargers last year, St-Juste was pretty good. The Packers needed to address cornerback this offseason, especially after releasing Nate Hobbs, and they attacked the position from multiple angles.
Drafting for need
This isn’t necessarily a big change for the Packers, because they always bake in need to build their draft board. But this year, the front office was able to attack most of the team’s needs in the process (cornerback, defensive tackle, edge, interior offensive lineman). While the best player available discourse is theoretically beautiful, the reality is that teams must maximize the window of a player’s rookie contract. The best way of doing so is getting pieces who will actually contribute from the get go, and opportunity is a big part of that.