One of the running storylines of the offseason has been the construction of the relationship between new Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
LaFleur brings a new offense that will ask Rodgers to do things in a different way than he’s grown accustomed to doing them for more than a decade. It can take time for new partnerships to flourish, but Rodgers said in April that no one gets “a pass for the first year or two as you get acclimated to the system.”
The team seems to share that view. General Manager Brian Gutekunst told Albert Breer of SI.com that the team isn’t thinking about expansive windows to win with Rodgers.
“The more you’re around Aaron, you realize the bar is set really, really high,” Gutekunst said. “The expectations are always high. They always are around here, they always have been, but I don’t think in today’s football, with today’s athlete, especially a guy like Aaron . . . it’s just different, guys are playing longer, guys are taking care of their bodies differently. Every year is different. I don’t think you look at windows, I think you just look at it year-to-year.”
Gutekunst’s approach to this year has included a more aggressive approach to filling out the defense via free agency while Rodgers and LaFleur work to get on the same page offensively. While both sides will need to come together for great success in Green Bay, the Rodgers/LaFleur side of things is likely to capture more attention.