Preston Smith trade fallout: Brian Gutekunst backs Jordan Love

Packers fans may still be fixated on their team’s Week 9 loss to the Lions, but no one in the organization has taken the time to lick their wounds. Instead, general manager Brian Gutekunst and his front office made a key move just before the NFL trade deadline.

That wasn’t the only good news to come out of Green Bay this week. Fans who enjoy spending Sundays at Lambeau Field should read on to find out what the biggest stories have been about the Packers over the past week.

The fact that Preston Smith was moved just before the NFL trade deadline should not take any Packer fan by surprise. The team has been linked to firing the veteran edge rusher for over a month. In the end, Green Bay was only able to get seventh round pick for his services.

Many NFL observers called the deal a mistake by Green Bay’s front office. The idea of ​​a legitimate playoff contender getting rid of a starting defenseman for such a small gain doesn’t win press conferences. Evaluating this move without examining the financial benefit to the Packers completely misses the point of this move.

The Packers will save more than $7 million in cap space next year by moving Smith to Pittsburgh. More importantly, freeing up his salary will generate more than $18 million in cap space next season. The Packers had a chance to restructure Smith, but it would be a bad decision for a quarterback who is 30 years old and on the wrong side of the ball.

Trading Smith was a calculated gamble by the Packers front office, but it’s a deal that should last for years to come. We thank Gutekunst and his staff for their foresight.

The obvious question Packers fans have to ask after Smith is traded is who will take his place as the starter. Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and his staff have two real options. They could turn to former first-round pick Lucas Van Ness or former fifth-round pick Kingsley Enagbare.

Van Ness is the player the Packers hope will step up and take over the job. He came into the NFL with a reputation as a relentless pass rusher. He had his ups and downs as a rookie, but this, his second season, has largely been a disaster. Expect Green Bay to give him every chance to succeed in obvious passing situations where he can focus solely on harassing opposing defenders.

Enagbare has been a more productive defensive lineman this year, but lacks the potential that Van Ness has. He should record most of his shots on more traditional runs in the coming weeks. He is capable of rushing at a passerby in a pinch, but that is not his bread and butter. Van Ness is under pressure to step up his game following Smith’s departure.

File this under “statements that should surprise no one.” Gutekunst took the opportunity to publicly applaud his defense attorney this week. He acknowledged that injuries have hampered his star quarterback this year, but also said Love played.”Very good” generally.

That’s a bit of an exaggeration for a quarterback who threw 15 touchdowns and ten interceptions on the year. Nevertheless, it was a wise political move on Gutekunst’s part. He has nothing to gain and nothing to lose by publicly venting any negativity to Love. The GM correctly understands that his quarterback’s play is the biggest variable for his team going forward. If Love gets hot, it could propel his team into Super Bowl contention. Increasing trust in the media was the right move for Gutekunst.

Gutekunst didn’t limit his public spotlight to just the quarterback position. He also gave special mention to the play of rookie guard Javon Bullard. The former Georgia standout struggled early in the season, but he has really stepped up the defense in recent weeks with his versatility.

Bullard was particularly praised for the way he played both the cornerback and safety positions. The idea behind his coming into the season was to compete for a starting spot at safety. Surprisingly, he saw more playing time at full-back in the first nine games of the campaign.

It’s unclear how much playing time Bullard will get if the entire defensive corps is healthy. It’s also unclear when this might actually happen. Both Jaire Alexander and Evan Williams are currently battling injuries. The bye week should give them extra time to recover for the second half of the season, but there is no guarantee when they will return.

At the very least, Bullard gives Hafley and his team an interesting chess piece to use on obvious passes. He has the quick athleticism needed to handle coverage on the line of scrimmage. Bullard also has the physical strength needed to hit the opposing backfield and wreak havoc.

Packers fans shouldn’t be surprised to see him become a more defensive playmaker going forward. He’s the kind of athletic quarterback who gives opposing offensive coordinators nightmares. Bullard can swing the game in Green Bay’s favor with a key turnover.