Packers’ newly vacant defensive coordinator job should be highly coveted
Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur should have multiple candidates lining up to be his next defensive coordinator.
According to reports from several media outlets, LaFleur and the Packers are moving on from Mike Pettine, who spent the last three years as the team’s defensive coordinator. He had an expiring contract and won’t be retained for 2021.
Pettine’s departure opens up what should be a highly-coveted assistant coaching position, even if LaFleur and the Packers are getting into the hiring cycle way late.
While often maligned, the Packers defense has so much to offer the right coach.
Consider the following, in no particular order:
– Pro Bowl defensive lineman Kenny Clark, maybe the game’s best nose tackle and one of the best interior disruptors against both the run and pass in football.
– All-Pro edge rusher Za’Darius Smith, a valuable and versatile disruptor who has 26.0 sacks and 164 total pressures over the last two seasons.
– All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander, a true shutdown corner who graded out as the top player at his position at Pro Football Focus in 2020 and is still only 23.
– Safeties Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage, who possess a combination of experience, versatility, reliability and playmaking skills.
– Edge rusher Rashan Gary, the 12th overall pick in the 2019 draft who is both freakishly talented and rapidly improving.
– Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who operated the No. 1 scoring offense in football and rarely turns the ball over, drastically reducing pressure on any defense.
– Coach Matt LaFleur, who runs the offense and rarely tinkers with the defensive side of the football, allowing the defensive coordinator a true leadership position.
– Intriguing young players such as Kingsley Keke, Kamal Martin and Krys Barnes.
– A chance to be in big games and compete to play for a Super Bowl. The Packers have been one game away each of the last two seasons but haven’t been good enough on defense.
What more could a coach really want? The Packers have great players at premium positions and an incredibly talented collection of individuals on defense. They play within terrific game scripts most weeks because of Rodgers and the offense. And they should be good enough overall to be Super Bowl contenders again.
Pettine couldn’t get it done, but the right coach could mix all these ingredients together and create something truly special.
There will be weaknesses on the defense in need of covering, but that’s true of all defenses. And the pressure will be tremendously high, especially after the Packers got so close to playing in the Super Bowl each of the last two seasons. In Green Bay, the fan base loves to blame the defensive coordinator, although that’s probably true in 31 other NFL cities too.
This should be a coveted job for all the qualified defensive coaches that haven’t been hired around the league. The Packers can offer things all great coaches want: talented players and an opportunity to be a part of something special. Now, it’s on LaFleur and the Packers to find the right candidates and make the right hire.
