Cory's Corner: Packers Are Winning With Misfit Toys

I just did a Twitter search for Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst.

It didn’t take a lot of time and effort to spot plenty of negativity. It was my fault for being surprised, because Twitter is a wasteland of snark. 

You can be mad or disgusted at Gutekunst but what he has done in assembling this roster is nothing short of amazing. I would argue that if De’Vondre Campbell was the only player that Gutekunst brought in, it would still be a strong victory. According to all linebackers, Campbell is graded fourth according to Pro Football Focus right behind Dallas’ Micah Parsons. 

The reason that Gutekunst deserves more credit is because he knew where the holes were. He recognized the issues. He knew that inside linebacker has been a huge problem after getting gutted on the ground in the 2019 NFC title game vs. San Francisco and getting carved up in the short passing game in the 2020 NFC title game vs. Tampa Bay. 

Of course, many may say that this team was on the precipice of advancing to the Super Bowl and there wasn’t that much to do. But that hasn’t been Gutekunst’s philosophy. He did the unthinkable and traded for a … punter. What? Nobody does that. Punters are often seen and not heard and many didn’t think trading for a punter would amount to very much at all. 

Corey Bojorquez has proven that theory completely wrong by being one of the best punters in the league. The left-footed punter doesn’t just blast the ball, but he has an amazing arsenal of precision. He has been a huge weapon by keeping opposing offenses pinned deep in the shadow of their own end zone. 

But it isn’t just about the guys that Gutekunst added. It is also about the guys he let go. Jace Sternberger was a third round pick in Gutekunst’s second draft as Packers general manager. Many thought that Sternberger would be the athletic tight end that Aggies fans saw at Texas A&M. That just never materialized and Gutekunst released him on Sept. 21. You could argue that releasing a higher end draft pick is something that NFL front offices don’t want to do, because it sends a signal that they made a mistake. I was impressed that he owned the mistake, rather than trying to see something that wasn’t there. 

And how Gutekunst has tried to tapdance every potential injury pothole that comes the Packers way is incredible. He signed Rasul Douglas from the Arizona practice squad, he signed Jaylon Smith, who was released by Dallas and he signed Whitney Mercilus, who was released by Houston. 

It isn’t easy to win in the NFL with a roster of Misfit Toys, but Gutekunst continues to prove people wrong. The Packers currently sit 9-3 and are the most complete team in the league. 

But above all that stuff, and the reason why I think Aaron Rodgers should and ultimately will come back, is because Gutekunst is tireless. He won’t leave any stone unturned and he will do whatever it takes to assemble a winning roster. That has to be music to Rodgers’ ears, who recently turned 38 and wants to be complemented with a solid team. 

Well, he’s got one right now. And the person that deserves the credit is none other than the guy that others call “Gutey.”