2 days Ago By Packers Wire
Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur will sit down with the media at the NFL owner's meetings in Palm Beach, Florida this week, and the assembled Packers beat writers will have no shortage of material to draw their questions from.Here are three key talking points Gutekunst will need to cover:What is the latest on Jaire Alexander?Perhaps the most pertinent question, where do the Packers stand regarding their All-Pro cornerback reported to be on the trade block?Alexander is still on the roster for now, and there is no firm deadline to trade or release him, at least in terms of his contract or any roster bonuses triggering on certain dates.When Gutekunst spoke with the media at the conclusion of the season, and at the NFL scouting combine, he was non-committal on Alexander's future with the team, and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport subsequently reported Green Bay had been involved in trade conversations around the 28-year-old.
Over a month has passed since that report, and there has been no movement yet, but the team did use free agency to add Nate Hobbs. What does Hobbs' signing mean for Alexander, and is there a scenario where he remains on the team in 2025? Gutekunst's words this week could help to give an indication one way or another.Why Aaron Banks and Nate Hobbs?Speaking of Hobbs, Gutekunst is yet to publicly discuss the signing of the former Raiders cornerback, as well as Banks, the left guard acquired after finishing his rookie deal with the 49ers.
It will be interesting to hear what specific qualities attracted the team to both players, how they feel the pair will fit within the team and what attributes they will bring on the field, which may differ from what they already had on the roster.Have contract talks begun with Zach Tom?The Packers have a laundry list of players currently slated to hit free agency after the 2025 season, and Gutekunst will have some big decisions to make between now and then.But renewing Tom and keeping him in Green Bay long term is a no-brainer.
It feels like a case of when, not if, the Packers get a deal done with their star right tackle, but it is always better to get these deals done early for multiple reasons.Firstly, it prevents the issue from becoming a distraction once the season starts, allowing the player instead to just focus on their football, knowing the contract is squared away. Secondly, it is important to get a deal done as quickly as possible because the top of the market will only keep escalating as more players at his position get paid.
Tom's contract is not something to worry over, it will get done, but it would be nice to get an update on where the Packers are in the process.Three important questions for LaFleur this week:Is Elgton Jenkins moving to center?The signing of Banks, who has essentially only ever played left guard in his career, along with the departure of center Josh Myers in free agency, would appear to indicate Jenkins will move from left guard to center, where he played regularly in college but not as often in his NFL career to date.It is a fair assumption to make, but it would be nice to get confirmation from the head coach that this is indeed the plan, and that others, like Sean Rhyan for example, are not going to be involved in a center battle.
Jenkins has not fared too well when playing center as a pro, although he has almost always had to do so in a pinch, rather than having a week, let alone an offseason, to prepare for the switch.He is Green Bay's most experienced offensive lineman, so moving him to the pivot, where he can be an enforcer for the offense and help Jordan Love with protection calls, makes a lot of sense.What is the plan for Jordan Morgan?Former first-round pick Morgan missed the majority of his rookie year with a bothersome shoulder injury, and entering his second year could potentially compete for snaps at both left tackle and right guard.
He played left tackle exclusively in college, and Gutekunst has made it clear on several occasions he believes Morgan will be a tackle in the league. Incumbent starter Rasheed Walker will be a free agent at season's end, as will starting right guard Rhyan.The front office and coaching staff have not always been aligned in terms of the coaches using players how the personnel staff envisioned when they drafted them.
It may be the case that LaFleur does not intend at this moment to let Morgan try to displace Walker, and he may be competing just with Rhyan instead.But for a team which regularly preaches their "best five" mentality when it comes to the configuration of their offensive line, it is likely Morgan will be cross-trained this summer and given the chance to impress at multiple spots. Hopefully LaFleur gives some insight on the subject this week.
Is Jayden Reed's role changing?Mecole Hardman's addition to the roster raised a few eyebrows as he appears to perform the same role as Reed, operating as a slot receiver and kick/punt returner.Reed has not been stellar as a punt returner, and this combined with Keisean Nixon's waning success on kickoffs and his increased role on defense, means it stands to reason Hardman is mostly being brought in for his return skills.But with Christian Watson set to miss a large portion of the regular season due to a knee injury, the Packers could be looking for creative ways to replicate his deep threat and generate explosive plays.
Allowing Reed to play on the perimeter in two-receiver sets, something he has not really done in Green Bay but did regularly at Michigan State, while Hardman fills the slot role, could open things up for LaFleur's offense.The head coach is likely to keep his cards close to his chest, but it is worth asking the question as to whether Reed is being considered as an outside receiver option moving forward.This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: 3 questions for Brian Gutekunst, Matt LaFleur at NFL owners meetings.
