Top 3 Candidates For Packers DC Job

Hiring former Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris would make a ton of sense for the Packers. Not only does he have a wealth of coaching history on his resume, but he has also worked directly with LaFleur at more than one stop.

Morris was the defensive backs coach for the Washington Redskins from 2012 through 2014. During that time, LaFleur was Washington’s quarterbacks coach, manning that post in 2012 and 2013. Each of their next stops was Atlanta; they served on Dan Quinn’s staff together in 2015 and 2016 and helped the Falcons reach Super Bowl LI.

Morris would bring almost 25 years of NFL coaching knowledge, including stints as head coach of Atlanta and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Because of his background, Green Bay may need to act sooner rather than later to lure Morris. Since being let go by the Falcons in early January, he has interviewed with several teams, including the Cardinals, Titans, and Giants, for their coaching opportunities.

Per Rob Demovsky of ESPN, former Morris is expected to be “at or near the top” of LaFleur’s wish list for defensive coordinator.

Packers DC Candidate #2: Sean McDermott

Sean McDermott was unceremoniously let go after being the head coach in Buffalo for the last nine seasons. He was 106-58 during his time with the Bills, reaching the playoffs in all but one year during his reign. In other words, this guy can coach.

McDermott has a defensive coaching background, and he is no stranger to being a coordinator. His first stop as an NFL coach was with the Philadelphia Eagles. For ten years, from 2001 to 2010, he held different positions on the defensive side of the ball, and he ultimately rose to coordinator for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. During his time in Philadelphia, the Eagles reached the NFC Championship game five times and lost Super Bowl XXXIX to New England following the 2004 season.

If McDermott wants to jump back into the coaching fray, the Packers, with its stability and recent playoff appearances, would be a great fit for LaFleur’s staff.

Packers DC Candidate #3: Jim Leonhard

A name on the candidate list most Packers fans are familiar with is Jim Leonhard. Born in tiny Tony, WI, he stayed in state after high school to play for and star for the Wisconsin Badgers, where he earned All-Big Ten defensive back honors twice. He followed that up by playing parts of ten seasons in the NFL with seven different teams.

Immediately following his retirement as a player, Leonhard entered the coaching world. He began that career at his alma mater and stayed with Wisconsin for seven years. He was a defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator for much of that time, but he eventually served as interim head coach for a portion of the 2022 season.

When Leonhard was not hired as the permanent head coach, he opted to help out at Illinois for a year before accepting a job with the Denver Broncos. He is currently listed as assistant head coach and defensive passing game coordinator for the Broncos, who are one game away from this year’s Super Bowl.

With his strong ties to the state, Leonhard, who turned down the Packers’ request to be defensive coordinator in 2021, is the sentimental pick amongst Green Bay fans. His work on the field and on the sidelines is familiar to most Packers fans, and the majority of the fan base would warmly accept him. Although he has never been an NFL coordinator, his track record of grooming successful defenses wherever he has been should be enough to warrant a look.

End Of My Packers Rant: Get Someone With Experience

The last time the Packers hired a defensive coordinator, they went with Hafley, then the Boston College head coach, who had zero NFL coordinator experience previously. That hire arguably worked out for Green Bay, who enjoyed improvement defensively during his time with the Packers.

This next hire must be done carefully and methodically because Green Bay’s window of championship aspirations will not be open forever. The prudent choice to take over the defense would be Morris, who would not need much time getting to know LaFleur’s methods and philosophies. If he is able and willing, the Packers need to strike preemptively to secure the right guy.