With six NFL franchises announcing defensive coordinator hires for the 2024 season, some Green Bay Packers fans are starting to get a little nervous about the team’s defensive coordinator search.
Looking at the defensive coordinator market and who the Packers are targeting, it’s clear that Green Bay isn’t “missing” any candidates, as their search period is a bit longer than most.
As of Jan. 31, five teams are still searching for defensive coordinator candidates, including the Packers, Los Angeles, Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans. This does not include the Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers or Seattle Seahawks. All of this should be on the market after you recently started the coaching carousel, but you get the idea. Those teams are entering the defensive coordinator market much later than the Packers, so the length of Green Bay’s search isn’t a factor.
Of the six defensive coordinators hired this offseason, Buffalo Bills Bobby Babich was a potential candidate for the Packers’ starting job. Babic was an in-house prospect for the Bills at the time, so even though Green Bay offered him the job, he may have waited for an offer from Buffalo.So who else is on the Packers’ short list and what other teams are interested in these coaches? I’m glad you asked. Baltimore Ravens defensive backs coach Zach Orr and Denver Broncos defensive backs coach Christian Parker spoke exclusively with the Packers as they search for a defensive coordinator.
Parker was drafted by the New England Patriots earlier this month, but was passed over in favor of interior prospect DeMarcus Covington. Brandon Staley (former Los Angeles Chargers head coach), Aden Durde (defensive line, Dallas Cowboys) and Dennard Wilson (defensive line, Baltimore Ravens) were scouted by the Packers. To see how strong the connection is, look at the managerial similarities between Rams coach Sean McVay and Packers coach Matt Lafleur. In addition to the Rams, Staley worked with the Miami Dolphins and Wilson, as well as the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans.
Durde also spoke with the Falcons earlier this week before Atlanta hired Jimmy Lake as defensive coordinator. Could the Packers miss out on a potential defensive coordinator candidate by not making a quick offer instead of spending a lot of time hunting? Babic, a first-time defensive coordinator, is right, but the rest of the team is still on the field.
There’s no reason to worry until you see plenty of defensive coordinators from teams like the Rams, Ravens and Seahawks selecting candidates the Packers have considered.
