The X’s and Os’s of a scheme are always important when finding a new coordinator, but Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers are also looking for the right type of mentality in the team’s next defensive coordinator.
LaFleur, who decided to step down from Mike Pettine after his contract expired, said he wanted 20 new leadership on defense in 2021. candidate he is looking for.
“I think if you look at the big defense in the league, there’s a certain mentality to it,” LaFleur said. ‘And it’s not necessarily what you call, but how you play each call. I do think that there are some areas where we can continue to educate our players and be great in such situations, so that if you are a third less and short, that you do not play away. You do not want to give up any free games. You want people to earn every inch on the grass. ‘
LaFleur said he wants his defense to “swarm” and “give a lot of energy and effort.”
Pettine’s defense, although improved to prevent major plays in 2020, often played soft cover and in some situations did not aggression. LaFleur has expressed public dissatisfaction at various points during the season about how the defense operates in different situations.
The Packers defense is individually talented, with players different from edge rusher (Za’Darius Smith), cornerback (Jaire Alexander), home defense (Kenny Clark) and safety (Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage), but the collection has talent did not always produce results that reflected the players.
LaFleur hopes a more aggressive mentality is the key to unlocking the group’s full potential.
According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, the Packers interviewed nine different candidates, including one internal candidate: Jerry Gray, Packers defensive coach, Jim Leonhard, Wisconsin defense coordinator, Joe Barry, Chargers Pass coordinator, Saints defensive line / assistant head coach Ryan Nielson, Chris Brown, Rams Security Company coach Ejiro Evero, Eagles defense coach Matt Burke, defense rugby coach Chris Harris and Falcons assistant Bob Sutton.