Gutekunst feels prepared heading into 8th draft as Packers GM

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) – Brian Gutekunst is armed with 8 picks for his 8th draft as General Manager of the Packers. He has learned a lot from the ups and downs of the annual 3 days of drafting in his tenure. So how does he sleep before it all begins?

“Good,” Gutekunst said. “It’s kind of like, and I know this very well, because there were many tests in high school that I went into that test not prepared, and how that feels. And a few of them I was prepared. And it’s just like that. When you feel really, really prepared, you feel good about it and don’t worry about it too much. Again, it’s unpredictable. When you are picking in the 20s or later like we have, it’s just very unpredictable. So you just have to be prepared across the board.”

But does being prepared include gaming out how to possibly trade out of the first round, when the Packers could pick a player in front of the Green Bay faithful at Lambeau Field. Mark Murphy has previously told Gutekunst that the GM had free rein to do whatever he saw fit. But after all the buildup, has that changed?

“Not yet, but there is still time to go,” Gutekunst said. “It is pretty amazing seeing all this come together. What a cool thing for the Packers and the city of Green Bay.”

On Monday, Gutekunst offered up no update on the status former All-Pro corner Jaire Alexander. As far as the 5th-year options of Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt, Gutekunst says he’s not sure whether he will put the 5th-year options in place or work out contract extensions. But he wants them on the team in 2026.