NFL

Packers GM Brian Gutekunst explains decision to trade Preston Smith and not acquire anyone at the deadline

Published

13 hours ago

November 6, 2024

Packers GM Brian Gutekunst explains decision to trade Preston Smith and not acquire anyone at the deadline

While there was some expectation that the Green Bay Packers could acquire an edge rusher or a cornerback ahead of the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, that was never really a possibility. Right after the deadline passed, general manager Brian Gutekunst talked to the local media about why he moved defensive end Preston Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a seventh-round pick and his vision for the future of the roster.

“It’s no different than last year,” Gutekunst said, remembering when he traded cornerback Rasul Douglas to the Buffalo Bills . “There are some players we wanted to see, the trend of how the snaps were going was going to continue that way. Again, it’s not something that we set out to do; we didn’t call a bunch of teams and say ‘Hey, are you interested in Preston Smith?’, because we know his value. But when the opportunity came, we got the phone call; we just thought it made sense for us for what we are trying to do.”

Preston Smith was, in fact, playing the lowest percentage of defensive snaps since he arrived in Green Bay five years ago. The number was 84% in 2019, it reached 80% in 2022, but was down to 54% under Jeff Hafley. He’s more apt to play as a 3-4 outside linebacker than he is to be a 4-3 defensive end.

And this trend would just continue, as Gutekunst said. Early in the season, Smith was still playing most of the snaps—71% against the Philadelphia Eagles in week 1 and more than 50% in each of the first six games. That was progressively reduced, though, arriving to 44% against the Houston Texans and a season-low 37% versus the Detroit Lions.

Now, it means more snaps and more responsibility for young players like Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare, Arron Mosby, and Brenton Cox.

“We’re excited to see both of those guys, see some more snaps,” Gutekunst added. “Certainly, they’ve earned it. I think they did a really nice job in training camp and they’ve continued that through practice.”

The other side

While the Packers were sellers, the chances of them acquiring anyone did not materialize. Brian Gutekunst revealed that he found out early in the process there wouldn’t be many valuable moves to make this year.

“These things start four, five, six weeks before now. So as we went through it, I kind of assumed that was going to be very quiet, and it very much was this year,” the GM pointed out. “Those initial conversations, they can change, but as we monitored going through it, it was pretty steady that it was going to be quiet, that acquiring any significant player, there wasn’t going to be a lot of opportunity to do that.”

It’s not that Gutekunst wasn’t willing to acquire any player for the right price to make the roster better. It’s that he thinks the value wasn’t there.

“It’s not a store where you can go, pick, and choose,” he mentioned. “Those guys gotta be available, and there wasn’t a ton available this year. We always look at a lot of things; we have conversations and talk to people, but not a lot materialized this year.”

Ultimately, the current version of the Packers is the one responsible for the success or failure of this season. And nothing could have changed that ahead of the deadline.

NFL

Done Deal: Packers trade star DL with Steelers in a shocking deal

Published

59 mins ago

November 7, 2024

Admin

Done Deal: Packers trade star DL with Steelers in a shocking deal

The Green Bay Packers have traded DL Preston Smith (pending a physical) to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2025 seventh-round draft pick. General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced the transaction Tuesday.

Smith has played in 91 games with 88 starts in the regular season since joining the Packers in 2019, posting a team-high 44.0 sacks over that span, which ranks No. 6 on Green Bay’s all-time list (since 1982). He started all nine games this season, recording 19 tackles (six solo), 2.5 sacks (tied for No. 2 on the team) and four QB hits (tied for No. 3 on the team), and is tied for No. 4 on the team with 11 NextGenStat QB pressures (TruMedia).

Smith was one of only two NFL players (T.J. Watt) to register 65-plus sacks (66), five-plus interceptions (five) and five-plus forced fumbles (nine) from 2015-23. He also appeared in seven postseason contests (all starts) for the Packers, registering 25 tackles (16 solo), 3.5 sacks, eight QB hits and three passes defensed.

NFL

JUST IN: Chicago Bears sign a new head coach after….

Published

2 hours ago

November 7, 2024

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JUST IN: Chicago Bears sign a new head coach after….

Matt Eberflus’ job security as the Chicago Bears head coach is under serious scrutiny following another road loss to the Arizona Cardinals. With an 0-18 record in Sunday road games, a point differential of -181, and multiple fourth-quarter collapses in games where the Bears had a 91% win probability, his tenure has become hard to defend. It recently emerged that Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was interested in the Bears’ head coaching position last offseason, though the team chose to retain Eberflus. Now, with Eberflus likely departing after this season, Johnson seems like a logical choice as his successor.

Ben Johnson Makes Perfect Sense as the Next Bears Head Coach

Ben Johnson’s Credentials Make Him a Compelling Choice for the Bears

Ben Johnson has been the driving force behind the Detroit Lions’ offensive resurgence. Under his leadership, the Lions’ offense became one of the NFL’s top units last season, finishing second in passing, third in total offense, and fifth in both rushing offense and points per game. This season, their offensive dominance continues. According to Lions’ Senior Writer Tim Twentyman, the Lions excel at protecting the ball, with just five turnovers in seven games (tied for the fourth fewest in the league). They rank seventh in both third-down conversions (42.9%) and red-zone efficiency (65.5%), efficiently extending drives and capitalizing on scoring opportunities. Twentyman describes it as “good offensive football.”

Credit also goes to General Manager Brad Holmes, who has constructed a roster with Pro Bowl-caliber players like Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Frank Ragnow, and Penei Sewell. While the Bears have offensive talent, they need a strategic play-caller like Johnson to maximize their potential and take their offense to the next level.

Focusing on the Development of Caleb Williams

The Bears have been mired in mediocrity for far too long, and a change is overdue. The main priority should be to ensure Caleb Williams’ development by pairing him with a skilled play-caller at head coach. Though Ben Johnson lacks head coaching experience, his performance as the Lions’ offensive coordinator has been stellar. If the Bears are serious about winning, they should do what it takes to bring Johnson on as head coach next season.

For GM Ryan Poles, the focus needs to be on reinforcing both the offensive and defensive lines in free agency and the draft. The Lions’ success on offense is no accident, as they arguably have the best offensive line in the NFL. Building a strong line to protect Caleb will be crucial for him to thrive and take strides toward becoming the Bears’ franchise quarterback.

NFL

Infamous Packer key man Released by NFC Rival just now

Published

2 hours ago

November 7, 2024

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Infamous Packer key man Released by NFC Rival just now

Following a disappointing preseason, the Green Bay Packers made a surprising move by releasing second-year kicker Anders Carlson. Carlson had been competing intensely with veteran Greg Joseph during training camp.

In the end, though, neither kicker secured the spot, as the Packers opted for a different option, choosing Brayden Narveson instead.

Carlson, now 26, soon found a new chance, signing with the San Francisco 49ers last month. The 49ers, facing a shortage of healthy kickers after Jake Moody and Matthew Wright sustained injuries, were in urgent need of reinforcements.

Carlson was elevated twice from the 49ers’ practice squad, playing in Weeks 7 and 8 against the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys. In these appearances, he performed impressively, hitting 5-for-5 on field goals and 3-for-4 on extra points—a significant improvement from his preseason struggles with the Packers.

However, with Moody nearing a return from injury, Carlson will need to seek another opportunity.

Packers News: Anders Carlson Kicked to Curb by 49ers

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the 49ers have released former Green Bay kicker Anders Carlson from their practice squad, filling his spot with veteran safety Tashaun Gibson.

Despite the release, Carlson should have a good chance of finding another team soon, as he performed well in his two games with the 49ers. While Carlson struggled with longer kicks as a rookie in Green Bay, making just 7 of 13 attempts from beyond 40 yards, he showed improvement in San Francisco, hitting 4-for-4 from that range. Although it didn’t work out with the Packers, Carlson’s potential remains promising.