One day after Aaron Rodgers was brutally honest about his relationship with the Green Bay Packers, general manager Brian Gutekunst executed one move that made the MVP quarterback happy -- for the time being.
Rodgers wanted Randall Cobb back in a Packers uniform, and he got him. The Packers may have listened to Rodgers too late in the game, but the front office is committed to winning a Super Bowl in what appears to be Rodgers' final season in Green Bay.
"Obviously without Aaron, I don't think we would probably be pursuing that, but he's still a really good player," Gutekunst told reporters at Packers training camp Thursday, via the Associated Press. "Seeing him last night just kind of reminded me of what kind of impact he'll have in our locker room for our football team. This is a very important thing for Aaron, and that's why we did it."
The Packers are trying to mend fences with Rodgers after he blasted the organization about the lack of communication between the two sides and not being involved in personnel decisions. Rodgers specially wanted Cobb back in Green Bay as the veteran wide receiver finished with 470 catches for 5,524 yards and 41 touchdowns in eight seasons with the Packers, the majority of which Rodgers was the quarterback.
Craving even more NFL coverage focusing on previews, recaps, news and analysis? Listen below and follow the Pick Six podcast for a daily dose of everything you need to follow pro football.
Gutekunst said Rodgers always had a say in personnel decisions, but doesn't have any regrets in moving on from some players. He cited the domino effect of "keeping players longer than we should," saying the tough decisions have to be made for the team "to grow."
Cobb was one of those players, even though the Packers are excited to bring him back. Rodgers having an input certainly helped.
"Having Randall Cobb in our building is a positive, there's no doubt about that," Gutekunst said, via NFL.com. "Not only as a player, but a person to our locker room, he's a positive, specifically to our quarterback, which is a very important piece of what we're trying to accomplish in 2021."