The Green Bay Packers seek players "wired a certain way" to prevent repeating 2025's late-season collapse. Brian Gutekunst targets intangibles for 2026 draft success.
The Green Bay Packers want to avoid the fate they suffered at the end of the 2025 campaign, and for general manager Brian Gutekunst, there's a part of that he can control.
No, you can't control injuries. Micah Parsons tearing his ACL absolutely played a role in the Packers' five-game losing skid to end the season. Tucker Kraft suffering the same injury a few weeks before, also undoubtedly played a role.
If Parsons and Kraft were healthy, perhaps we're talking about a Super Bowl run instead of a massive collapse. That's not to mention injuries to Devonte Wyatt, Josh Jacobs and Zach Tom.
You also can't control the schedule or who you play when. In fact, there are many things in the NFL that Gutekunst and the Packers can't control.
What they can control, though, is who they bring into the locker room. To that point, Gutekunst said at the NFL Draft Scouting Combine that the failures of 2025 will paint what he does in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Talent is important, but there's also a certain intangible quality that the Packers are now on the hunt for.
"You're always looking for those guys that are wired a certain way," Gutekunst said," according to Mike Spofford of the team website. "Because in the National Football League, whether you're up by two touchdowns and things start snowballing on you, whether you're behind by two touchdowns ... you have to have the kind of guys in your locker room that can handle all those situations whenever they're thrown at you."
Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.In separate comments with local media, Gutekunst had the same ideas. He was asked what he believes the difference is between the Packers being a playoff contender and a Super Bowl contender, and he said it comes down to closing games.
Essenitally that comes down to that intangible mindset. Guys have to be wired a certain way, as he said.
He did say that he believes in the players the Packers currently have in the locker room, but there's nothing wrong with adding more of that grit and determination this offseason. Whether that's in the 2026 NFL Draft or in free agency, it's clear what a major component of the Packers' scouting reports will focus on.
"I think we have a ton of 'em, but that's really important as we move forward, making sure that what happened to us really over the last couple years doesn't happen to us anymore," he said.
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