Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers begin their search for a new defensive coordinator.
Mike Pettine, who served in the role for a year under Mike McCarthy and two more under LaFleur, was let go by the Packers after the 2020 season.
LaFleur has internal candidates and potential external employees to consider.
Here’s a list of 15 potential 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 worked for five years as a defensive coordinator in Buffalo (2001-2005) and three more in Tennessee (2011-2013), and worked directly under Mike Zimmer in Minnesota for six years (2014-19). LaFleur hired him to take over high school in 2020, and Jaire Alexander, Darnell Savage and Adrian Amos all had the best seasons of their careers.
2 Mike Smith
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The Packers outside linebackers may be ready for the chance to lead a defense. A former player in Baltimore and assistant coach in Kansas City for three years, Smith joined the Packers in 2019 and helped revolutionize the team’s edge rusher group. Za’Darius Smith is a Pro Bowler and All-Pro, while Rashan Gary looks like a future star. Although Smith was a Pettine disciple, could Smith have any new ideas for the overall defense?
3 Wade Phillips
Dec 1, 2019; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Rams defense 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 head coach who can be trusted with full control over the defense, and he is a past Super Bowl winner as defensive coordinator with the Denver Broncos. LaFleur also teamed up with Phillips in Los Angeles in 2017. With elite talent, Phillips has the background needed to turn the Packers’ defense into a championship-level outfit.
4 Kris Richard
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His background in Dan Quinn’s defensive style could be very appealing to LaFleur, who worked under Quinn in Atlanta and respects the former Falcons headman. When the defensive coordinator was in Seattle, Richard’s scoring defenses were in the top half of the NFL for all three years, including two top-five finishes.
5 Jerod Mayo
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Mayo, winner of the Super Bowl and defensive captain of the Patriots, has successfully transitioned into coaching and has led the New England inside linebackers for the past two seasons. He is a rising star in the coaching ranks. With head coaching aspirations, a chance to coordinate a defense like Green Bay’s could be the right next step.
6 Marvin Lewis
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis laughs on the sidelines against the Baltimore Ravens in the first quarter.
Ravens’ longtime defense coordinator and Bengals head coach has been with Herm Edwards in the state of Arizona for the past two years. Would he want to return to the NFL as the coordinator for a Super Bowl contender? The Packers could provide the right opportunity.
7 James Bettcher
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Bettcher coordinated the defense in Arizona (2015-17) and New York (2018-19). His defense wasn’t statistically great with the Giants, but his attacking style was a big hit with the Cardinals. The 49ers just hired him in a senior role, but it’s possible Kyle Shanahan could let him go if he gets a chance to lead the defense in Green Bay.
8 Stephen Belichick
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Bill’s son has coached just about every position group for the Patriots over the past ten years, earning him the profile of a coordinator candidate. Belichick’s coaching tree hasn’t always been produced outside of New England, but maybe its pedigree can. Being a coordinator seems like an appropriate next step if he wants to become a head coach, although leaving the Patriots may not be an attractive option.
9 Kris Kocurek
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He coached great defenses in both Detroit and San Francisco. His work under Robert Saleh, one of LaFleur’s best friends, could be vital to the quest. LaFleur may want a defensive plan based on Saleh’s concepts, and Kocurek has likely been waiting for a chance to become a coordinator.
10 Teryl Austin
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Although he was never a head coach, Austin was the coordinator of some good Lions defenses between 2014 and 2018. His year as a coordinator in Cincinnati ended badly. He has been a top assistant for the Steelers defense for the past two seasons and could be ready for a return to leading a defense.
11 Jim Leonhard
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No list would be complete without Leonhard, another Pettine disciple who has been Wisconsin’s dominant defense at Madison since 2017. He has NFL playing experience, and while hiring a college coach always involves risk, the college runs game over in the NFL, and Leonhard’s defenses are among the best in the country every year.
12 Kacy Rodgers
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Now the defensive line coach under Todd Bowles for the NFC champions, Rodgers is well trained in Bowles’ manner after coordinating his defense with the New York Jets for four seasons. LaFleur spoke highly of Bowles’ defense for every meeting in 2020 and may want this system to be implemented in Green Bay. Then Rodgers is a logical option.
13 Mike Caldwell
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The same scenario exists for Caldwell, who has spent the past two seasons coaching linebackers for Todd Bowles in Tampa Bay and working side by side with Bowles in New York. Both Caldwell and Kacy Rodgers are said to provide the opportunity to dive into the Bowles system. Caldwell helped Lavonte develop David and Devin White into All-Pros and could be vital in getting more out of the much-maligned position in Green Bay.
14 Jerome Henderson
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He played in two Super Bowl and has coached defensive backs in the NFL for a long time. He was the Falcons’ passing race coordinator for four years, including during the 2016 season with LaFleur on the staff. In 2020, his work with James Bradbury helped turn the Giants cornerback into a Pro Bowler.
15 Chris Shula
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The young defensive assistant coach played with Sean McVay in Miami, Ohio, and has been on McVay’s staff for the past four years, including the past two coaching outside linebackers. The Packers had a lot of respect for the Rams’ defense plan, and the teams might want to find someone to work under Coordinator Brandon Staley. He is the grandson of Hall of Fame coach Don Shula.