Brian Gutekunst sets record straight on Packers' approach to drafting wide receivers early
The Green Bay Packers hasn't taken a wide receiver in the first round since 2002. And that was in a brief period that head coach Mike Sherman was calling the shots, and not a member of the Ron Wolf tree. Sure, the Packers have drafted several receivers in the second round, including Christian Watson and […]
The Green Bay Packers hasn't taken a wide receiver in the first round since 2002. And that was in a brief period that head coach Mike Sherman was calling the shots, and not a member of the Ron Wolf tree.
Sure, the Packers have drafted several receivers in the second round, including Christian Watson and Jayden Reed lately under Brian Gutekunst, but there are always questions about the process and the philosophy of how the Packer Way perceives the position.
At the Combine, A to Z Sports asked Gutekunst about the philosophy and how the franchise approaches the position.
"It's funny, it's not a philosophical thing we've talked about through my time in Green Bay, which goes back quite a while," Gutekunst said. "It's never something like 'Hey, we don't want to take wide receivers in the first round' or certain opportunities we've had, we thought that was gonna happen and for whatever reason it didn't."
Brian Gutekunst has been with the Packers since 1999. He's been a scout, director of college scouting, director of player personnel, and the general manager since 2018. While the Packers haven't drafted a wide receiver so early, the results with second-rounders make the executive happy with his style. And based on how many receivers have come out ready to contribute, the plan might not change any time soon.
"At the same time, we've had a lot of second-round receivers that have been pretty good players for us," Gutekunst added. "So, again, I do think the immediate impact of wide receivers is changing because the way these guys are coming out of school, where they can be more impactful quicker, but it's never been a philosophical thing for us. Just really more kind of how it shook out."
The Packers were reportedly close to draft a wide receiver in the first round at least twice during Gutekunst's tenure. In 2020, there were rumors about how much the team like Justin Jefferson and Brandon Aiyuk, but both were off the board and the Packers moved up to take quarterback Jordan Love. In 2022, Green Bay tried to back up to 32 to get Christian Watson, but the Minnesota Vikings didn't want to give the Packers a fifth-year option, so the rivals agreed to a trade a little later, when Gutekunst took Watson with the 34th pick early in the second round.
Packers GM addresses Josh Jacobs’ comments about the need for a real wide receiver one on the roster
Brian Gutekunst spoke to the media at the NFL Combine
