Packers GM Brian Gutekunst talks Jordan Love extension at league meetings

“There’s been some preliminary discussions, but we want to do it the right way.”

Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst spoke to a media pool on Monday as the NFL gathered in Orlando for the league’s spring owners’ meeting. This is the first time that Gutekunst has spoken to the press since free agency began, which means he finally got to address the release of running back Aaron Jones — the former Packers Pro Bowler who has since signed with the division rival Minnesota Vikings.

On the release of RB Aaron Jones

You guys know we asked him to take a pay cut. As we went through that process, we kind of realized that it wasn’t probably gonna come to fruition. Obviously, we had to do what’s in the best interest of our football team and that’s what we did.

As we all thought, the move off of Jones was one that was purely financial. Jones was set to have a cap hit of $14 million going into 2024, a very high number for a contract-year running back pushing 30 years old in today’s NFL. Ultimately, it sounds like the Packers’ final offer to Jones was a one-year, $4 million contract with $2 million that could be earned back with incentives. The Vikings beat that offer, signing him to a $6 million contract with an additional $1 million in incentives.

On the upcoming safety class

I think it’s a pretty good safety class this year. The draft’s unpredictable, it’s how those things fall and whether that comes to you. It’s a pretty good safety class, but I don’t think going into the draft it’s anything that you can count on, just because you never know how it’s going to fall.

While the Packers might not think that they’ll be able to secure a safety in the draft, it sure seems like they’re spending a lot of effort to scout them. Among the top four safeties in the draft class, the four who are ranked among the top 80 prospects on the consensus draft board, Green Bay has been reported to attend three of their pro days. The only exception is Miami’s pro day, which featured safety Kamren Kinchens. Hopefully, the Packers can find someone to pair with Xavier McKinney in April.

On a Jordan Love extension

There’s been some preliminary discussions, but we want to do it the right way. Certainly, the sooner the better, but at the same time, I think we want to make sure we do it the right way. We started, but it’s not something that’s gonna quickly, I don’t think. It’ll take some time.

Who knows what “do it the right way” means, but I wouldn’t expect a deal to get done between Love and the Packers until June. Green Bay will receive a good chunk of cap space then, as inside linebacker De’Vondre Campbell was released with a post-June 1st designation. Until then, Campbell will count against the Packers’ cap situation. That date should be a major factor in the upcoming extension of Love, even though the team is technically allowed to extend him as early as May 3rd.

On Keisean Nixon starting in the slot

Every single data point so far this offseason has stated that Keisean Nixon is going to be a pretty uncontended starter at the nickel position in 2024. Not only did Gutekunst basically claim as much on Monday, but he also said that new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley believes that he fits his scheme.

Remember, Nixon is the third-highest-paid nickel defender in the league after signing his new three-year contract, which essentially ensures that he’ll be on the roster for at least two more seasons. The Packers also elected to keep Nixon as their starting nickel over former starting safety Darnell Savage, who Green Bay reportedly considered as a nickel defender in Hafley’s scheme.