Is Brian Gutekunst managing the team he has, or the team he imagined he would have? The answer, based on what we've seen so far, appears to be the latter. The Packers' offensive struggles don't begin with Jordan Love. They begin largely with Matt LaFleur. Even more than that, they begin with roster construction and the assumptions Gutekunst made entering the season. Perhaps no bigger assumption than Josh Jacobs. Understandably, nobody saw what was coming regarding Josh Jacobs. The lack of a back-up plan is the issue. A committee between Marshawn Lloyd, Kaleb Johnson, and Chris Brooks are proving to be a failed recovery plan. Green Bay clearly built its offensive identity around Jacobs remaining available. Even after legal issues surfaced during the offseason, Gutekunst expressed optimism that Jacobs would be available at some point and indicated the organization had prepared for the possibility of losing him while still feeling comfortable with the running back room. The problem is that "prepared" and "equipped" are two different things. With Jacobs on the Commissioner's Exempt List and unable to play, the Packers have been forced to rely on a committee that simply hasn't replicated his production or impact. The result has been one of the league's least effective rushing attacks, placing more pressure on the passing game and making the offense increasingly one-dimensional. Jacobs wasn't just another starter; he was the centerpiece of how this offense was designed to function. The issue extends beyond running back. Gutekunst also appeared to construct his offensive line under the assumption that Aaron Banks and Zach Tom would be healthy and available. On paper, that's a solid plan. In reality, NFL seasons rarely unfold according to plan. Nobody should know that more than the Packers. Seeing their 2025 season come to a crashing halt largely due to compiling injuries. Banks has already missed time due to injury, exposing depth concerns that Green Bay seemingly failed to address adequately. Following Thursday's loss, Green Bay would sign 34-year old guard Laken Tomlinson. Addressing an issue that was clearly apparent before the end of week three. For years, offensive line depth was one of the Packers' greatest strengths. Green Bay could absorb injuries and continue functioning. This year's group hasn't offered that same security. When injuries occur, the drop-off has been noticeable, impacting both the running game and pass protection. And that's where Gutekunst deserves scrutiny. General managers are not judged by whether Plan A works. They're judged by whether Plans B and C exist when Plan A inevitably fails. So far, the Packers look like a team that expected everything to go right. The offensive line was built around ideal health. The running back room was built around Jacobs being available. Neither scenario has played out as expected, and the organization has struggled to compensate. The same criticism applies to the cornerback position. Rather than aggressively solving a long-standing issue, Green Bay's approach felt more like applying temporary fixes. Using a second-round pick on Brandon Cisse and signing veteran Benjamin St-Juste represented attempts to address the position, but neither move appeared capable of transforming the secondary overnight. Instead, it looked like the Packers were hoping the problem would become smaller rather than truly solving it. A rookie cornerback and a journeyman veteran can provide depth. They can provide competition. But expecting them to immediately erase concerns that have lingered for multiple seasons was always a risky bet. Through the opening stretch of the season, that gamble hasn't paid off. That's what makes this situation so frustrating for Packers fans. Many of Green Bay's struggles were foreseeable. Running back depth behind Jacobs was a concern. Offensive line depth was a concern. Cornerback remained a concern. Yet Gutekunst's offseason actions suggest he believed his preferred version of the roster would stay intact long enough for those concerns not to matter. The NFL doesn't work that way. Injuries happen. Suspensions happen. Unexpected absences happen. The teams that survive are the ones prepared for reality, not the ones counting on everything breaking perfectly. Right now, the Packers don't look like a team built for reality. They look like a team built for the version of 2026 Brian Gutekunst hoped would happen. And that's a major reason the offense, and team as a whole, has stumbled out of the gate. .@BillHuberNFL brought this up on The Green Bay Beat today and @RichEisenShow agrees (I had to shout out the show). Packer fans booing is probably rooted more in frustration with Matt LaFleur, Brian Gutekunst & organizational stagnancy than anything else. You can’t blame them. pic.twitter.com/fZ9pNyJakc — Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) September 25, 2026 Green Bay pass protection off to a rough start pic.twitter.com/rPkbFE583g — Football Insights 📊 (@fball_insights) September 15, 2026 Does the OL deserve some of the credit for last night's stagnant run game? Of course. But also, what are you doing here, MarShawn Lloyd? This was in the early 3rd quarter, and he didn't get another carry after this. pic.twitter.com/B3gc9bWa9R — Dave Kluge (@DaveKluge) September 25, 2026 Filed Under: FeaturedLuke Leavitt PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ Luke Leavitt is a Contributor for Cheesehead TV, covering the Green Bay Packers. A Manchester by the Sea, Massachussetts native. Luke is a lifelong Packer fan, and 16-year shareholder. Keep up with Luke on X @LukeLeavitt7 __________________________ NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersTags: Brian Gutekunst Like 0 points