GREEN BAY – On a night dominated by Brian Gutekunst targeting specific needs for his defense, it’s what the Green Bay Packers general manager did for the offense that might have the greater impact this fall.
Not merely because Gutekunst took care of the financial end with receiver Jayden Reed. The three-year, $50 million extension Reed accepted provides peace of mind, ensuring he will not enter 2026 playing on the final year of his contract. Reed has been one of the Packers’ most-important playmakers since he set a franchise rookie record for receptions in 2023. When he missed 10 games because a broken collarbone last season, the Packers offense was worse without him.
Extending him three years with an annual salary that made him only the NFL’s 29th-highest-paid receiver, and retains financial flexibility for other extensions, seemed like an easy decision.
“Because he helps us win,” Gutekunst said. “He’s one of those guys who’s a winning football player. Obviously, he missed some time last year, but when he’s on the field, we’re a better football team. No doubt about it. We were really excited to get that done. I don’t know if we’ve done many contracts during the draft, but I’m glad we did.”
Gutekunst might not have drafted Reed on April 24, but he picked him nonetheless. Same as he still hopes to do with tight end Tucker Kraft and receiver Christian Watson later this offseason. While extending Kraft is an obvious priority, Gutekunst said Reed’s deal does not dampen his intent to eventually reach an agreement with Watson.
It’s not a coincidence Reed’s extension came shortly after the Packers let two significant pieces to their passing game leave, one via free agency and another via trade. Starting in 2022, the draft after Davante Adams left a No. 1 target-sized hole in the Packers passing game, Gutekunst focused on no position more than receiver. He drafted eight in a four-year period, including three each in 2022 and 2023, determined to surround quarterback Jordan Love with as many skill players as possible as he replaced Aaron Rodgers.
The Packers never were going to be able to pay all of them once their rookie deals expired. Choices had to be made.
The calculus appears to be high-end potential over reliable production. In Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, the Packers had a pair of wideouts who were regularly available. Because of that, their numbers throughout the course of a season were higher. Doubs, especially, benefited from his durability. Doubs led the offense in targets two of the past three seasons. In between, Wicks led the offense in targets in 2024.
Doubs never ranked among the offense’s top three in yards per reception. Wicks cracked the top three only once, back in 2023. His efficiency steeply dropped the past two years.
Watson has been the Packers’ most-explosive receiver since being drafted, a big reason Gutekunst wants to extend him too.
“Absolutely with Christian,” Gutekunst said when asked if he plans to reach an extension with Watson. “Amongst a bunch of other guys that we kind of hope over the next few months we can maybe do some of that with.”
After years of having too many mouths to feed on offense, those guys Gutekunst wants to create the core of his passing game going forward finally are clear. Reed might not be a No. 1 receiver in his offense, but his value in the slot as both a playmaker and a pre-snap decoy going in motion is well established. Which is why the Packers were eager to pay Reed like the quality slot receiver he’s become.
The Packers expect 2025 first-round draft pick Matthew Golden to be part of that future, too, which at least partially ushered Doubs’ and Wicks’ departures. With fewer targets, there is no other option but for Golden to get the football more. The 433 targets Doubs and Wicks received in the past three seasons will be redistributed to more explosive playmakers this fall.
There is a risk in letting two durable and reliable receivers leave. Gutekunst knows the Packers’ passing game could be in trouble if injuries deplete the receiver depth chart as they did a year ago. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he adds a receiver on the draft’s final day, but a Day 3 rookie won’t change the plan to redistribute wealth in targets this fall.
“That depends on if you stay healthy,” Gutekunst said earlier this week when asked if having fewer mouths to feed on offense was a good thing. “So for me, I’d like to have as many of those guys, as many good players, as you can. Because if you do have injuries, you want guys that are ready to step in and have enough talent to perform. I do think there’s something to be said that if you can stay healthy and there’s continuity on the field, you can be a much better team late in the season and into the playoffs because your players have had so many reps in third down, red zone, different things like that. I think that can help if you stay healthy and that happens.
“Last year with Christian kind of missing the first half, and Jayden [missing 10 games], I don’t know if we ever developed that as much as we wanted to. But I’d rather have a bunch of really good players, and then having the issue of having the mouths to feed than not having them.”
This article originally appeared on Packers News: On draft night, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst picked Jayden Reed
Reporting by Ryan Wood, Green Bay Press-Gazette / Packers News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
