Gutekunst, LaFleur and Ball with organization for "years to come"
The trio that helped steer the team through the pandemic while winning a ton of games will be around for the foreseeable future.
By PackerAaron
Meeting with the media after this morning's annual shareholders meeting, Mark Murphy would neither confirm nor deny if any of his top football lieutenants had been given contract extensions over the offseason.
According to Rob Demovsky, Brian Gutekunst, Matt LaFleur and Russ Ball each had contract extensions finalized earlier this offseason.
From Rob:
The Green Bay Packers quietly reached contract extensions with general manager Brian Gutekunst, coach Matt LaFleur and executive vice president/director of football operations Russ Ball this offseason, a league source told ESPN on Monday. Packers president Mark Murphy would not confirm the extensions earlier on Monday but said: "I'll just say I'm confident not only Matt and Brian but Russ Ball will continue to be Packers' employees for years to come." Gutekunst was promoted to GM in 2018, and LaFleur was hired in 2019. Both were nearing the ends of their original contracts as the 2022 season approached. Gutekunst originally signed a five-year contract that was set to expire after this season. LaFleur originally signed a four-year contract with a fifth-year option. Ball has been with the Packers since 2008 but was promoted to his current role, which includes managing the salary cap, in 2018 so he also was nearing the end of his deal.
The work all three have done over the course of their respective tenures has been quite impressive. The team has been a perenial contender since LaFleur came on board.
Two big questions remain for the trio over the course of the next few years. 1. Can they finally get over the hump and win a championship with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback? and 2. Can they continue to shine in their roles (and win truckloads of football games) whenever the generational talent at quarterback walks away?
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Comments (12)
Gman1976
July 25, 2022 at 06:01 pm
This is great news! Great job Mark Murphy! But I can't understand why this can't be confirmed yet. Maybe the league office has not officially signed off on the deals?
10ve 💚
July 25, 2022 at 10:32 pm
Packers personnel (whether FO or other employees) will never ever confirm ANYTHING until it is official.
That is why Packers.com is always the last to report any news. I go there only for the videos now... all the news there is old news that is available elsewhere a day or 2 earlier.
13TimeChamps
July 25, 2022 at 06:03 pm
Good to hear! Coaching staffs/front office stability is the building blocks of successful NFL franchises.
Leatherhead
July 25, 2022 at 06:37 pm
There is only one question: Can they win a title? With or without the "greatest generational talent', makes little difference to me.
I think many of their moves have been for the benefit of the team after Rodgers. This team should be strong for many years yet.
Thegreatreynoldo
July 26, 2022 at 06:18 am
I can't think of any moves GB has made specifically and only with post-AR motives in mind. Kindly elaborate.
Coldworld
July 26, 2022 at 07:35 am
This whole team looks built to support A. N. Other at QB to me, except for maybe Bakh, Crosby and Cobb. This roster looks designed to carry a QB not be focused on him. A
Strong D, Strong running game and a lot of young high ceiling offensive talent. That doesn’t mean Rodgers can’t make it work if he is willing to adapt, but it is hardly the type of roster that most would have foreseen for Rodgers at this point in his career.
murf7777
July 26, 2022 at 08:31 am
I agree TGR, the are in a win-now mode. This is mainly because who knows how long Mr. Complicated wants to and can play at a high level. This is there two year window to win it all.
Building a team for the future with the likelihood of not having a HOF QB is foolish at this point. At some point, in the not too distant future, say 2024, the Packers will be in the great rebuild era. Depending on Arod’s commitment to football or Love looking great, I think they will and should start considering QB’s as early as the 2023 draft.
I will also state, I suspect the Packers to make some FA moves yet this year. Maybe even a trade, everything is on the table to win-now!
LambeauPlain
July 26, 2022 at 11:45 am
Jordan Love...just as Rodgers was a specific post Favre motive.
Rarescope
July 25, 2022 at 07:16 pm
Seems like a competent bunch, yay GBP football!
Coldworld
July 25, 2022 at 07:55 pm
We will see. Football is performance over contracts for these guys (well, maybe not Ball). Win and a contract is extended. Lose and we’ll, nice payoff.
Thegreatreynoldo
July 26, 2022 at 06:29 am
Certainly the timing is fortuitous for Gute and LaFleur. They deserve extensions without a doubt, but the timing means they will both probably get at least 2 and possibly 3+ years guaranteed money post AR, assuming AR plays not only this year but also in 2023.
The number one trait most GMs have to possess is the ability to pick the best QB in each draft class. If you can't do that, at some point it is highly likely that you will be shown the door.
Coldworld
July 26, 2022 at 07:40 am
If we don’t win with a healthy Rodgers, I predict LaFleur will be gone very soon after. The rosters aren’t the issue. LaFleur has made it clear he wants Rodgers. Rodgers is plenty talented enough. A coach that can’t win with that talent and these rosters thrice or more is out of road and rightly. He’s 0 for 2 now.