Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers begin the search for a new defensive coordinator.
Mike Pettine, who played the role for a year with Mike McCarthy and two more with LaFleur, was released by the Packers after the 2020 season.
LaFleur has internal candidates and possible external contracts to consider.
Here is a list of 15 possible candidates to replace Pettine in Green Bay:
1 Jerry Gray
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The Packers defensive back coach is highly respected among players and has previous NFL experience as a defensive coordinator. He spent five years as a defensive coordinator in Buffalo (2001-05) and three more in Tennessee (2011-13), and worked directly with Mike Zimmer for six years in Minnesota (2014-19). LaFleur hired him to take on high school in 2020 and Jaire Alexander, Darnell Savage and Adrian Amos had the best professional seasons.
2 Mike Smith
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External Packers may be prepared to lead a defense. A former Baltimore player and assistant coach for three years in Kansas City, Smith joined the Packers in 2019 and helped revolutionize the team’s runners group. Za’Darius Smith is Pro Bowler and All-Pro, while Rashan Gary looks like a future star. While he was a disciple of Pettine, could Smith have new ideas for defense in general?
3 Wade Phillips
December 1, 2019; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Like Pettine, Phillips is a former coach who could be trusted with full control of the defense and has been a previous Super Bowl winner as the Denver Broncos ’defensive coordinator. In addition, LaFleur worked with Phillips in Los Angeles in 2017. With elite talent, Phillips has the background to turn the Packers ’defense into quality equipment.
4 Kris Richard
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His background in Dan Quinn’s defensive style could be very appealing to LaFleur, who worked with Quinn in Atlanta and respects the former Falcons boss. As Seattle’s defensive coordinator, Richard’s scoring defenses ranked in the top half of the NFL for three years, including the top two.
5 Jerod Mayo
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Mayo, Super Bowl winner and Patriots defensive captain, has successfully passed to the coach, leading the New England home defenders each of the last two seasons. He’s a rising star in the coaching ranks. With the aspirations of head coaching, the opportunity to coordinate a defense like Green Bay could be the next step.
6 Marvin Lewis
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis smiles on the side in the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Ravens defensive coordinator and Bengals head coach has been with Herm Edwards at Arizona State for the past two years. Would you like to return to the NFL as a Super Bowl aspirant coordinator? The Packers could present the right opportunity.
7 James Bettcher
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Bettcher coordinated defenses in Arizona (2015-17) and New York (2018-19). His defenses were not statistically excellent with the Giants, but his attacking style was a great success with the Cardinals. The 49ers have just hired him for a senior position, but it is possible that Kyle Shanahan could leave him if he has a chance to lead the defense in Green Bay.
8 Stephen Belichick
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Bill’s son has coached almost every charge group in the Patriots over the last decade or so, giving him the profile of a coordinating candidate. Belichick’s coach tree hasn’t always occurred outside of New England, but maybe it has. Being a coordinator seems like the next right step if you want to be a head coach, although leaving the Patriots may not be an attractive option.
9 Kris Kocurek
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He coached fantastic defensive lines in both Detroit and San Francisco. His work with Robert Saleh, one of LaFleur’s closest friends, could be vital to the search. LaFleur may want a defensive scheme based on Saleh’s concepts, and Kocurek has probably been waiting for the opportunity to be a coordinator.
10 Teryl Austin
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Although he was never head coach, Austin was the coordinator of some good Lions defenses between 2014 and 2018. His year as coordinator in Cincinnati ended badly. He’s been the Steelers ’top assistant on defense the past two seasons and could be ready to lead a defense again.
11 Jim Leonhard
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No list would be complete without Leonhard, another Pettine disciple who has led Wisconsin’s dominant defenses at Madison since 2017. He has experience in the NFL, and while hiring a college coach always carries risks, college play often bleeds. the NFL and Leonhard’s defenses. they have been among the best in the nation every year.
12 Kacy Rodgers
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Now coaching Todd Bowles ’defensive line for the NFC champions, Rodgers was well trained in Bowles forms after coordinating his defenses with the New York Jets for four seasons. LaFleur talked a lot about Bowles defenses before every meeting in 2020 and maybe he wants that system to be in Green Bay. If so, Rodgers is a logical choice.
13 Mike Caldwell
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The same scenario exists for Caldwell, who has been Todd Bowles ’defensive coach in Tampa Bay for the past two seasons and has worked side by side with Bowles in New York. Both Caldwell and Kacy Rodgers would provide an opportunity to immerse themselves in the Bowles system. Caldwell helped turn Lavonte David and Devin White into All-Pros and could be vital to taking more advantage of the much-maligned position in Green Bay.
14 Jerome Henderson
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He played two Super Bowls and has long been a defensive defense coach in the NFL. He was the Falcons ’game coordinator for four years, including during the 2016 season with LaFleur on staff. In 2020, his work with James Bradbury helped turn the Giants corner into a Pro Bowler.
15 Chris Shula
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The young assistant defensive coach played with Sean McVay in Miami, Ohio and has been on McVay’s squad each for the past four years, including the last two as an outside defense coach. The Packers had a great deal of respect for the Rams ’defensive scheme and the teams may want to get someone to work under coordinator Brandon Staley. He is the grandson of Hall of Fame coach Don Shula.