Pillaging the Packers: What has happened to the coaching staff so far and what to expect next

The Packers have already lost two top assistants during the current hiring cycle, and more changes will soon follow.

Programming note: While the free edition of The Leap usually comes out Monday, Peter and I decided to push that to Tuesday. Instead, today's newsletter will focus on the developments on the coaching front given the news that developed over the weekend and the additional changes on the horizon.

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In the NFL, winning teams inevitably see their coaching staffs raided as other franchises attempt to replicate their success. The Green Bay Packers are no different, with a third straight 13-win season generating intrigue across the league. Now, head coach Matt LaFleur must overcome a new challenge: replenishing his staff while maintaining high standards for assistants.

What we know

Already, the Packers' coaching staff has undergone some pretty significant changes. Nathaniel Hackett, Green Bay's offensive coordinator for the past three seasons, landed the head-coaching position with the Denver Broncos. The team introduced Hackett on Friday, formally kicking off the process of building a new staff in Denver. The Broncos sent an official request to interview Packers O-line/run-game coordinator Adam Stenavich around the same time.

Following a 2020 rule change, the Packers could not have prevented Stenavich from interviewing for the Broncos' offensive-coordinator position, creating the initial perception that Stenavich would depart to join Hackett's staff. However, Stenavich reportedly will remain in Green Bay instead, presumably with the promotion to Hackett's former position under LaFleur. The team has not confirmed the move, likely waiting until other staff changes occur before making an announcement.

O-line coaches don't often move into the top assistant roles, but a few notable exceptions have happened in Green Bay. Most famously, Andy Reid moved from assistant O-line coach to working with quarterbacks under Mike Holmgren in the 1990s, eventually leaving to become one of the best head coaches in modern NFL history. Former Packers assistant Joe Philbin landed a similar promotion in 2007, moving from coaching the offensive line to offensive coordinator on Mike McCarthy's staff. Philbin went on to become the head coach of the Miami Dolphins.

Stenavich has the chance to become the latest such success story. LaFleur has regularly praised his contributions to the game plans, as have Aaron Rodgers and other leaders on the roster. A strong season or two as an offensive coordinator would make Stenavich a head-coaching candidate, a meteoric rise for someone who didn't break into coaching until 2012.

But while Stenavich opted to stay, the Packers will lose one of their top assistants to a bigger role elsewhere. Luke Getsy, the team's quarterbacks coach since 2019 and its passing-game coordinator the past two seasons, has accepted the offensive coordinator role with the NFC North-rival Chicago Bears. Getsy has a unique coaching lineage, having come up under McCarthy and spending two seasons at Mississippi State under Joe Moorhead before returning to Green Bay three years ago.

Getsy has earned a strong reputation around the league, with many expecting him to land a head-coaching gig of his own in the next few years. Accordingly, leaving the nest in Green Bay to run an offense could do more for Getsy than remaining on LaFleur's staff as a non-play-calling offensive coordinator, making his departure inevitable even had the Packers offered him Hackett's old job.

What next?

With Stenavich primed to take over as offensive coordinator and Getsy moving to Chicago, the Packers have two positions to fill. However, more openings will materialize before the end of the hiring cycle.