Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers are looking for a new defensive coordinator.
Mike Pettine, who played 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 is a list of 15 potential candidates to replace Pettine in Green Bay:
1 Jerry Gray
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The Packers 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 under Mike Zimmer for six years in Minnesota (2014-19). LaFleur hired him to take high school in 2020, and Jaire Alexander, Darnell Savage and Adrian Amos had the best seasons of their careers.
2 Mike Smith
AP Photo / Mike Roemer
Out-of-line packers may be ready for the chance 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 top group of players. Za’Darius Smith is a Pro Bowler and All-Pro, while Rashan Gary looks like a future star. While a pettin ‘disciple, could Smith have new ideas for defense as a whole?
3 Wade Phillips
December 1, 2019; Glendale, AZ, USA; Wade Phillips, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator, 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 could be trusted with full control of the defense and is a former Super Bowl winner as the Denver Broncos defensive coordinator. LaFleur also worked with Phillips in Los Angeles in 2017. With elite talent, Phillips has the background to turn the Packers defense into a championship-caliber outfit.
4 Kris Richard
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His history in the style of Dan Quinn’s defense could be extremely appealing to LaFleur, who worked under Quinn in Atlanta and respects the former Falcons boss. As Seattle’s defensive coordinator, Richard’s strong defenses ranked in the top half of the NFL for all three years, including the top five finals.
5 Jerod Mayo
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A Super Bowl winner and defensive captain for the Patriots, Mayo has successfully coached, leading the New England defenders in the last two seasons. He is a rising star among coaches. With the aspirations of head coach, the chance to coordinate a defense like Green Bay’s could be the next right step.
6 Marvin Lewis
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis smiles on the sidelines in the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Ravens’ longtime defensive coordinator and head coach in Bengals has been with Herm Edwards at Arizona State for the past two years. Would he like to return to the NFL as the coordinator of a Super Bowl competitor? Packers could present the right opportunity.
7 James Bettcher
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Bettcher coordinated the defense in Arizona (2015-17) and New York (2018-19). His defenses weren’t statistically great with the Giants, but his attacking style was a great success with the Cardinals. The 49ers have hired him in a senior role, but Kyle Shanahan may let him go 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 position group for the Patriots in the last decade or so, giving him the profile of a coordinating candidate. The Belichick coach tree was not always produced outside of New England, but maybe the family tree can. Being a coordinator seems like a good 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 wonderful defensive lines in both Detroit and San Francisco. His work under Robert Saleh, one of LaFleur’s closest friends, could be vital to the search. LaFleur might want a defensive scheme based on Saleh’s concepts, and Kocurek was probably waiting for the chance to be a coordinator.
10 Teryl Austin
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Although he was never head coach, Austin was the coordinator of good Lions defenses between 2014 and 2018. A 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 prepared 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 led the dominant Wisconsin to Madison defenses since 2017. He has experience in the NFL game, and while hiring a college coach always carries risks, the college game bleeds. often in the NFL and Leonhard’s defenses. they were among the best nations every year.
12 Kacy Rodgers
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Now coach of the defensive line under Todd Bowles for the NFC champions, Rodgers was well trained in Bowles mode after coordinating his defense with the New York Jets for four seasons. LaFleur spoke very well about Bowles’ defense before every 2020 meeting and might want that system in place in Green Bay. If so, Rodgers is a logical choice.
13 Mike Caldwell
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The same scenario exists for Caldwell, who for the past two seasons has coached defenders inside Todd Bowles in Tampa Bay and worked side by side with Bowles in New York. Both Caldwell and Kacy Rodgers would have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Bowles system. Caldwell helped turn Lavonte David and Devin White into All-Pro and could be vital to getting more out of Green Bay’s much-offended position.
14 Jerome Henderson
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He played in two Super Bowls and has long been a defensive coach in the NFL. He was the coordinator of the Falcons game for four years, including in the 2016 season with LaFleur on the team. 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 coach has played with Sean McVay in Miami, Ohio, and has been with McVay’s team for the past four years, including the last two as a head coach. The Packers had a lot of respect for Rams’ defensive scheme, and the teams might want to get someone who worked under coordinator Brandon Staley. He is the grandson of Hall of Fame coach Don Shula.