While he should be commended for having the foresight to draft Jordan Love in the first round out of Utah State way back in 2020, Brian Gutekunst really needs to do a better job of changing the narrative surrounding the Green Bay Packers. This is a good team, one that I would be shocked if it did not make the playoffs again. But it's hard to avoid the feeling that they have a low ceiling as presently constructed.
If Detroit pulls back, I could see Green Bay winning the NFC North. Along with Minnesota and a potentially ascending Chicago team, this division could be a ton of fun to watch. However, what is really hurting the Packers is they are not aggressive enough to go get a superstar on defense. When they are great, they have a Reggie White or Charles Woodson coming aboard.
That could have been the case with native Wisconsinite T.J. Watt before he re-signed a massive contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Admittedly, Pittsburgh was never going to let him walk. Unfortunately, the Packers now find themselves in a similarly frustrating upper middle class with the Steelers. They win too much to ever bottom out, but have not won enough to raise another Lombardi.
At some point in time, they need to be ultra-aggressive and just take someone's star defensive player.
Green Bay Packers keep getting taken advantage of in leverage plays
In a hypothetical situation, this could have been one of the easiest spots to trade Watt to. He grew up in-state, and may have always envisioned himself winning meaningful games at Lambeau like he did at Camp Randall. The Packers play in the opposite conference and have enough assets to work with in terms of overall draft compensation. But it proved to be too good to be true, which is why he did not go.
In time, I think something has to give with the Packers. Love seems to be the right guy for them under center. He is good enough to win the Packers another Super Bowl if he has the right supporting cast around him. I question his head coach Matt LaFleur all the time; he is a polarizing presence among the Packer faithful. This team drafts well, but has its limitations in free agency because of its market.
This leads me back to my point. If the Packers really want to be chasing Lombardi Trophies again, then they need to go out and get somebody worthwhile on defense either in free agency or a trade. Yes, we all love our own homegrown guys, but the Packers do not have their two most recent Super Bowl championships without White coming over from Philadelphia and, later, Woodson from Oakland.
I expect big things from the Packers most years, including this one, but I always feel their finite ceiling.