In January 2018, Packers general manager Ted Thompson, who had been recently diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disorder, assumed a reduced role and named Gutekunst to the position after interviewing other internal candidates.
[2] The Packers were over the salary cap for the upcoming 2018 season, as Jordy Nelson and Morgan Burnett would end it up intro their new teams in free agents[clarification needed] and traded away former first round draft pick Damarious Randall to the Cleveland Browns for DeShone Kizer.
In free agency the Packers signed former Cleveland Browns linebacker Christian Kirksey and tackle Rick Wagner from the Detroit Lions following departure of Bryan Bulaga and Blake Martinez.
Additionally, they drafted wide receivers Jayden Reed in second round and Dontayvion Wicks in the fifth round, tight ends Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft, Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford as their next backup, defensive linemen Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks and undrafted free agent additions of Malik Heath and Emanuel Wilson.
Over the off-season, the Packers released David Bakhtiari, De'Vondre Campbell and Aaron Jones as free agents and had additions of Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney and notable 2024 NFL draft picks such as Jordan Morgan in first round, linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and safeties Javon Bullard and Evan Williams.