Packers GM Brian Gutekunst continues to be bold but smart

The general manager of an NFL team has a tough job. Not only are they the "head scout" in charge of bringing talent to the team through free agency and the NFL Draft, but they also have to act as the "head accountant" too, making sure that players are being paid according to their worth all the while keeping the salary cap in mind.

While you're at it, throw in the title of "head prognosticator," because the general manager can't just be focused on the season ahead, but rather keep in mind the overall future of the team.

It's a tough gig that requires tough decisions, but Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst has proved to be good at his job.

He's also proved to be bold and unafraid to put his stamp on the team. From drafting Jordan Love and upsetting future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers in the process, to trading Davante Adams, to eventually even trading Rodgers, Gutekunst has made tough decisions that he felt were best for the team.

Time after time, despite many of these decisions being unpopular, he turned out to be right.

It still remains to be seen if releasing fan favorite and borderline superstar running back Aaron Jones in favor of Josh Jacobs will work out in Gutekunst's favor, but there is reason to believe that while bold, it was the right move.

1. Jones is injury-prone and is heading into a season in which he will turn 30, which is well past the dropping-off point for many running backs. Jacobs is 26.
2. Jones was set to have a $17.575 million cap hit this season and was reportedly unwilling to negotiate a pay cut. Jacobs' new deal has him at a cap hit of just $5.3 million this season.
3. There's reason to believe the Packers factored in that cap savings when signing star safety Xavier McKinney as a free agent.
4. Jacobs missed four games last season due to injury, but he still rushed for 805 yards and six touchdowns with 1,101 scrimmage yards. In 2022, he led the NFL in rush yards with 1,653 (12 touchdowns) and scrimmage yards with 2,053 and was named a first-team All-Pro. The Packers are clearly planning on a bounce-back season in 2024.