New Packers Coaching Staff Reveals Defensive Scheme

The Green Bay Packers have played it tight to the vest, but the job descriptions listed on Matt LaFleur’s new coaching staff provide a big clue about how they’ll line up under new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.

Last year’s defensive line coach, DeMarcus Covington, has a new title:

OLBs/run game coordinator/assistant head coach – defense.

“OLBs” is short for outside linebackers. That’s a 3-4 defensive term. That means a new job description for Micah Parsons and a famiilar one for Lukas Van Ness.

That the Packers are going to a base 3-4 defense isn’t a surprise. That’s what the Cardinals used during Gannon’s three seasons as head coach.

As defensive coordinator for the Eagles, Gannon’s base defense was a 4-3 though he ran some 3-4 elements, as well.

With a history of both defenses, general manager Brian Gutekunst at the Scouting Combine said the team would run “a little bit of both” schemes.

“I think Jonathan’s got some 3-4 principles in base that you’re going to see that maybe we hadn’t in the last couple of years,” Gutekunst said last month. “All these defenses are so multiple now. It’s really more about the back end and how we’re going to approach it from that angle. But it’s a nickel defense league right now, so more likely you’re going to see four down, two linebackers, five DBs.”

It’s true that nickel is the universal base defense in the NFL. The Packers lined up in something other than Jeff Hafley’s 4-3 base defense on 62 percent of the defensive snaps last season, according to Sharp Football. The league median was 70 percent.

The Packers had been a 3-4 defense starting in 2009 with the hiring of Dom Capers through the hiring of Hafley in 2024.

Here’s the new staff, with notes on some of the key newcomers.

Offensive Coaching Staff

Adam Stenavich: Offensive Coordinator

Luke Butkus: Offensive Line

John Dunn: Tight Ends

Luke Getsy: Quarterbacks/Assistant Head Coach – Offense

Getsy took over as quarterbacks coach in 2019, when Aaron Rodgers won his third MVP, and he returned after failed stints as offensive coordinator for the Bears in 2022 and 2023 and Raiders in 2024.

Now he’s back in the role, having replaced new Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, with an upgraded title.

Eddie Gordon: Assistant Offensive Line

Rob Grosso: Assistant Receivers

Connor Lewis: Pass Game Specialist/Game Management

Noah Pauley: Receivers

Pauley was hired this offseason to be Penn State’s receivers coach. Instead, he went to Green Bay, where he’ll be reunited with his star pupil from North Dakota State, Christian Watson. He fills the role previously held by Ryan Mahaffey, who is the new run-game coordinator and tight ends coach for the Eagles.

“Coach Pauley, now that I’ve been with him for a few years, the amount of effort and dedication he puts into the program and the receiver group, I think it’s really shown in terms of my success and other receivers’ success,” Watson said in 2021. “I can’t thank Coach Pauley enough for what he’s done to help me develop as a man, a player, a leader on this football team.”

Ben Sirmans: Running Backs

Jason Vrable: Passing Game Coordinator

Jeremiah Kolone: Offensive Assistant (Minority Fellowship)

T.C. McCartney: Offensive Quality Control