Latest report sheds new light on Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst futures with the Packers as pressure continues to build
Ed Policy is about to make a final decision.
It’s taking time, but the expectation is that the Green Bay Packers will keep and extend general manager Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur. According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, the parties are negotiating new agreements, and the expectation is that something will get done over the next few days.
Packers president Ed Policy, Gutekunst, and LaFleur were spotted together at the American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin, as they work to get deals done.
Gutekunst and LaFleur extended their contracts back in 2022 to create an alignment between the general manager and the head coach. Their contracts run through 2026, and new president Ed Policy, who replaced Mark Murphy in July, said he doesn’t want to make them lame ducks entering a contract year, which is why this offseason is key for the extensions.
Matt LaFleur was the most complicated negotiation
Over the past few days, there has been some pressure over LaFleur’s situation, especially after the 31-27 playoff loss to the Chicago Bears. Rumors about a potential firing or a trade surfaced, but the Packers always indicated the desire to keep LaFleur.
He’s making $8 million to $9 million a year, but based on the recent market rise, he will get a substantial raise. Coaches’ contracts are fully guaranteed, but there’s usually room to have one team option at the end of those deals.
For example, LaFleur was initially hired by the Packers in 2019 under a four-year contract, but with a team option in Year 5. Since then, Green Bay has had a 76-40-1 record in the regular season and 3-6 in the playoffs — the team has made the playoffs in six of seven years under LaFleur.
Management structure
Gutekunst has been the Packers’ general manager since 2018, when he replaced Ted Thompson. However, Mark Murphy changed the front office structure when he made that hire, creating a three-headed decision-making group behind the president — the general manager, the head coach, and executive vice president/director of football operations Russ Ball.
Now, there are questions around the structure. Possibly, Policy would like to return to the old structure, with the GM under the president, while the head coach and executive vice president are behind the GM. But that’s an answer the Packers will only offer after getting deals done.
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