At the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst held two separate podium sessions — his first extended on-record interactions with the media since the Micah Parsons trade presser. Gutekunst addressed roster construction and cap planning for the 2026 season and touched on positional needs as Green Bay adapts to a new defensive staff. Notably, the team has not yet scheduled a formal press conference for newly hired defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who was hired more than a month earlier. The comments underscore a clubhouse balancing act between competing in 2026 and managing salary-cap constraints that could shape roster decisions this offseason.
- The Packers are currently over the salary cap entering the new league year, forcing at least two clear paths to compliance: shedding salary (likely candidates include Elgton Jenkins or Rashan Gary) or deferring cap hits into future years via restructures and bonuses.
- Gutekunst emphasized that 2026 is the primary competitive focus but said the team must avoid unsustainable cap borrowing that compromises future competitiveness.
- Extensions for Christian Watson, Tucker Kraft, Lukas Van Ness and Devonte Wyatt — and the timing/structure of those deals — will materially affect 2026 cap flexibility and potential 2027 compensatory-pick calculations.
- Potential free-agent departures (e.g., Malik Willis, Romeo Doubs, Rasheed Walker, Sean Rhyan, Kingsley Enagbare, Quay Walker) could generate compensatory-pick considerations if not retained.
- Gutekunst singled out the secondary and “inside linebacker” as areas needing added competition; the phrasing suggests a possible shift toward front-seven personnel aligned with the incoming coordinator’s scheme.
- Green Bay’s historical cash spending since the pandemic has been uneven: a heavy 2022 outlay during the Aaron Rodgers window contrasted with more conservative rankings in most other post-pandemic seasons.
Background
The Packers hired Jonathan Gannon as defensive coordinator more than a month before the combine but have not scheduled a formal press conference for him, reflecting the team’s measured offseason communications pattern. Green Bay’s front office activity tends to be quieter in the months between the Super Bowl and free agency, and this year the team’s cadence has continued that trend. Salary-cap positioning has driven much of the franchise’s roster calculus since the pandemic; teams increasingly structure deals to borrow future cap space, and the Packers have mixed aggressive pushes with restraint.
That broader financial context matters because Green Bay is already above the projected cap when the new league year opens, which limits their freedom to add outside free agents without creating room. Contract extensions for key young players and choices about which veterans to retain or move will determine whether the team leans into a short-term push or pursues a more sustained, moderate-peak approach. Meanwhile, a coordinator with a quarters-heavy coverage philosophy, like Gannon, typically requires specific front-seven personnel — which can reshape offseason priorities.
Main Event
At the combine, Gutekunst faced questions about how the Packers will address their over-cap status heading into 2026. He outlined the tension plainly: either create immediate cap space by cutting or reworking contracts for veterans such as Elgton Jenkins or Rashan Gary, or push cap costs forward and accept future-year pressure. He framed the choice as balancing a 2026 championship pursuit with long-term competitiveness, saying the organization wants sustainable success even if that means sacrificing occasional peaks.
When asked which positions need competition, Gutekunst cited the secondary and “inside linebacker,” and noted that competition is required “throughout the offense.” The remark about an “inside linebacker” was notable because that term typically aligns with 3-4 base defenses, not a traditional 4-3 roster; the wording hints at schematic adjustments tied to Gannon’s expected quarters coverage approach. The team’s cornerback depth picture is thin for multi-year continuity, with Nate Hobbs currently the only corner under contract beyond 2026 who is clearly slated as a starter.
Gutekunst also addressed roster development on the offensive line, crediting internal growth over recent seasons. He stressed that existing players will factor heavily into the 2026 plan, saying the team wants to maximize what the current roster can produce. That dovetails with a broader organizational posture that has sometimes prioritized internal development and selective spending rather than sweeping external additions.
Analysis & Implications
Cap strategy will be the dominant theme of Green Bay’s offseason because being over the cap reduces flexibility to sign outside free agents or absorb unexpected contract needs. If the Packers choose to cut or restructure to free space, names like Jenkins and Gary are the most likely sources of near-term relief because their contracts contain sizable cap hits. Conversely, heavy borrowing against future caps would preserve the 2026 roster but increase pressure in 2027–2028, limiting the front office’s maneuverability.
Contract extensions for emerging contributors create a second-layer of complexity. Deals for Watson, Kraft, Van Ness and Wyatt could either raise 2026 costs or, if structured creatively, lower immediate hits while counting later — a common technique teams use to reconcile competing objectives. Those extension decisions also affect compensatory-pick math in 2027 if the Packers let veteran contributors depart in free agency rather than sign replacements.
On defense, the hint of an “inside linebacker” need and the arrival of Gannon point toward a potential shift to personnel who fit a 3-4/quar ters-heavy model. Coaches who run quarters often ask front-seven defenders to play more gap-control and run-first techniques, which favors heavier linemen and hybrid outside linebackers. That could change draft priorities and free-agent targeting, moving the emphasis away from certain 4-3 prototypes to players who can occupy blocks and play a gap-and-a-half in run defense.
Comparison & Data
| Season | Packers Cash Spend Rank (Post-Pandemic) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | High (Super Bowl push) |
| 2022 | Second-highest cash spend (large outlay) |
| 2023–2025 | Mostly mid-to-low range (average around 24th in several seasons) |
This simplified table highlights how Green Bay combined a significant short-term expenditure window with more conservative spending in most other seasons since the pandemic. The pattern suggests the franchise is willing to invest aggressively in targeted windows but prefers sustainability as a default posture, which helps explain Gutekunst’s caution on “charging a credit card” of cap debt.
Reactions & Quotes
The following short excerpts capture the tenor of on-record reactions at the combine and provide context for Gutekunst’s remarks.
“2026 is our primary focus; we want to chase a championship while balancing future competitiveness.”
Brian Gutekunst, Packers GM (combine press conference)
Gutekunst framed the team’s short-term ambition as paramount but repeated that the organization must avoid unsustainable cap decisions that imperil later seasons.
“We’ll need added competition in the secondary and inside linebacker areas.”
Brian Gutekunst, Packers GM (combine press conference)
That phrasing drew attention because the term “inside linebacker” is more commonly used in 3-4 systems, implying possible scheme-driven personnel shifts under Jonathan Gannon.
“We want to be as good as we can for as long as we can — sustainability matters.”
Brian Gutekunst, Packers GM (combine press conference)
Observers interpreted that as a reiteration of a measured approach to spending: competitive ambition married to roster durability rather than deep short-term gambles.
Unconfirmed
- The team’s internal intention to move off Nate Hobbs this offseason is not official and remains speculative based on contract timelines and roster architecture.
- Any specific plan to cut or restructure Elgton Jenkins or Rashan Gary has not been publicly confirmed; those names were discussed as likely cap levers but no decisions have been announced.
- A formal plan to convert the defensive base to a full 3-4 under Jonathan Gannon has not been released by the team; scheme projections are inferred from Gannon’s historical tendencies and public statements.
Bottom Line
Brian Gutekunst’s combine appearances crystallized two overlapping narratives for Green Bay heading into 2026: an organizational desire to compete now, and a parallel need to manage cap liabilities prudently. Those goals are in tension — creating immediate cap room typically requires parting with veteran pieces or deferring costs — and the front office’s decisions this offseason will reveal which priority wins out.
On defense, language about an “inside linebacker” and Gannon’s quarters background suggest schematic shifts that will influence draft and free-agent targeting, particularly in the front seven and at cornerback. Financial maneuvering and schematic fit together will shape the Packers’ roster construction strategy and determine whether Green Bay leans into a high-investment, short-window push or a steadier, sustainability-first path.
Fans and analysts should watch three developments closely: the structure and timing of young-player extensions, whether the team creates meaningful 2026 cap space via cuts or restructures, and any public roster moves that reveal a commitment to personnel suited for quarters-heavy, 3-4-aligned defenses.