GREEN BAY, Wis. — In his scheduled pre-combine press conference, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said that Aaron Rodgers' situation precedes any other negotiations to be had with other players.
"Obviously everything around here centers around the quarterback," Gutekunst said. "That's kind of how we do things, so it's a big piece. It's a domino that kind of has to fall before we go down other avenues, so it's important as we work through this, the puzzle pieces that we have to make fit, that's the first one to go."
"The earlier, the better," Gutekunst said of a pending decision from Rodgers whether to play for the Green Bay Packers next year or walk away – to retirement or another team to be determined. Gutekunst made it clear that the team has not put a deadline on Rodgers to make or share his decision, and Rodgers understands the front office's calendar as well.
The second largest "domino" to consider is pending free agent Davante Adams, arguably the top wide receiver in the league, who has been determined to sign his next deal as the highest-paid WR in the league. The team and Adams' camp use different math to answer what that dollar amount would truly mean, and the Packers window to place the franchise tag on Adams opened February 22. However, the team has not exercised that option on a player since 2010.
"It's not something we like to do," Gutekunst said. "We would certainly like to come up with a long-term deal that works for both sides."
Gutekunst acknowledged that Adams could leave the team altogether and hit free agency, or the tag could be used to bridge an extension down the road.
Whether or not Rodgers and Adams return, Gutekunst says he is confident in the Packers ability to continue their Super Bowl pursuit and caliber of play. Situations like that, trading Rodgers or letting Adams walk were all "hypotheticals" to the general manager that he would not discuss specifically.
One month after losing to the 49ers, Gutekunst admitted it was painful to walk away from the "wasted opportunity" that was their early playoff exit.
"I don't know that we're missing anything, I just think we have to play better in those moments," Gutekunst said.
