Morning Buzz: McCarthy bringing in familiar faces

Aaron Nagler
Packers News

Welcome to your Morning Buzz, rounding up news and views regarding the Green Bay Packers from around the web and here at PackersNews.com. Grab a strong cup of coffee or brew some tea and get caught up on everything you need to know about the Packers.

We’ll start with Ryan Wood’s look at Brian Gutekunst’s path to becoming general manager of the Green Bay Packers and how it will inform him going forward.

From Ryan:

Gutekunst, in his 20th season with the Packers, recalled his career origin last week while sitting at the head of a rectangular, wooden table inside the team’s front-office boardroom. He wore a blue, plaid jacket, and his hair still was coiffed an hour after he was introduced as general manager. Behind him, pictures of Vince Lombardi and Curly Lambeau hung on the walls, a backdrop emphasizing the prominence of his new chair.

He doesn’t need reminders. There are only 32 general manager jobs in pro football, and the Packers might offer the best. There is no meddling owner passing down directives on roster decisions, and even with team president/CEO Mark Murphy expanding his influence, that is unlikely to change. There is Aaron Rodgers, a quarterback any GM could build a championship contender around.

With those perks comes some of the weightiest responsibility in the league. Gutekunst, working under a five-year contract, is now caretaker of the Packers' remaining title window with Rodgers. His personnel decisions will largely determine whether the franchise maximizes its MVP quarterback’s career with another Super Bowl. Even more, Gutekunst, 44, might be tasked with ensuring the franchise has life after its Hall of Famer, just as Ted Thompson did before him.

Packers safeties coach Darren Perry interviewed for a coaching job in Houston yesterday, but could still be back in Green Bay next season:

I chatted with readers late Tuesday afternoon via Facebook Live:

I’ve also started my film review of the 2017 season:

Elsewhere, the Packers are interviewing yet another coach McCarthy has worked with in previous NFL stops. (Emanuel and McCarthy were on staff together in San Francisco)

ESPN went back and re-graded the offseason for every NFL team. The Packers moves don’t look so good in hindsight:

From ESPN’s website:

Re-grade: C- | Offseason grade: B+

Aaron Rodgers' injury wrecked the Packers' season and did not help their ability to get full value from offseason investments. However, their personnel additions faltered independently. Martellus Bennett was unproductive even when Rodgers was healthy. The shoulder injury that bothered first-round pick Kevin King while in college was a problem for him as a rookie, contributing to a disappointing season. The Packers did find productive running backs in Jamaal Williams (fourth round) and Aaron Jones (fifth round), a big help. But for their 2017 offseason to be a success, they needed the Bennett signing to pay off. It backfired spectacularly.

The Pro Football Writers of America released their All Rookie team and there were no Packers on it. For the third year in a row.

Rob Demovsky writes on how the Packers could have won more games without Aaron Rodgers:

Jack Wepfer highlights Kevin King’s toughness:

Davante Adams is headed to the Pro Bowl:

Cheesehead TV asks a tough question:

The Food Network created cocktails for each NFL team:

It’s the start of draft season, and the all-star games are in full swing. Emory Hunt has great ongoing coverage of the East-West Shrine Game:

Speaking of the Shrine Game, there’s a QB turning heads this week and drawing comparisons to a familiar gunslinger: