The Green Bay Packers are what they are. Sure enough, they won't be aggressive buyers while the current tree of management is there — and it's not even a matter of discussing if it's good or bad, it's just the reality. There are positives and negatives to the approach.

But this is especially true because this is not a win-now roster. Yes, the Packers have a shot at being a contender this year if several things go right from now on, but general manager Brian Gutekunst doesn't have to feel like there is a window closing. That's why he traded Preston Smith away and didn't buy anyone at the trade deadline.

People comparing the Packers with the Detroit Lions or Baltimore Ravens are not facing the reality that those teams have different roster-building timelines. You might agree or disagree with Gutekunst's approach, and that's fine, but the Packers are not in the final years of a window like they were in Aaron Rodgers' final seasons in Green Bay.

Even then the Packers were not overly aggressive with trades, but were certainly more aggressive to retain pieces and overspend, creating a future issue with the salary cap. But that made sense, because they knew Rodgers' window was coming to an end.

Now, there's no hurry. Yes, they obviously want to compete now. But that's Matt LaFleur's job as a head coach. As a general manager, Brian Gutekunst has to execute a long-term plan.

And as he saw Preston Smith's snap share, the general manager went ahead to maximize what he could generate in terms of capital.

Sure, the seventh-round pick received from the Pittsburgh Steelers doesn't do much beyond compensating for what the Packers paid the Tennessee Titans to acquire backup quarterback Malik Willis. And Smith had no guarantees beyond this season.

But if his snaps were down, and Gutekunst himself admitted that trend would continue, there was no good reason to keep Smith just to say they weren't sellers.

While the Packers could certainly have used an edge rusher or a cornerback, Gutekunst feels like using future resources for this year's team was not Worth it. And that's not because he doesn't trust this team, it's because he believes this team is just getting started, and more future capital will be important… in the future.

"A lot of the moves you saw were reactions to injuries and things like that. I really like our group," Gutekunst talked about the trades around the NFL. "I really do like our depth, and we have to continue to come together as a football team and play better football at times. But we are 6-3, I think we are in a good spot, excited about the second half of the season and see how these guys grow together."

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Growing together has been Gutekunst's mantra since last year. You may or may not agree with his premise, but that's their plan. And the general manager will be true to his approach.

Where the Packers’ salary cap stands after the NFL trade deadline

Brian Gutekunst made a salary cap-friendly move trading Preston Smith away