The Green Bay Packers are wasting no time reshaping their defensive identity. Just days after parting ways with several key assistants, head coach Matt LaFleur brought in a big name to lead the charge on defense - former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon is officially the new defensive coordinator in Green Bay.
Gannon, who spent the last three seasons running the show in Arizona, returns to a coordinator role after being let go at the end of the 2025 season. With Jeff Hafley heading to Miami - and taking a few Packers assistants with him - the timing lined up for Gannon to step in and start building his own staff in Titletown.
Staff Shake-Up in Green Bay
As of this week, four defensive assistants from the 2025 Packers staff are no longer with the team: Derrick Ansley (Defensive Passing Game Coordinator), Wendal Davis (Defensive Quality Control), Sean Duggan (Linebackers), and Ryan Downard (Defensive Backs). Duggan, Davis, and Downard are all joining Hafley in Miami as he assembles his new Dolphins staff.
In their place, Gannon is already putting his stamp on the Packers’ defensive room. He’s brought in two new coaches - both with notable experience and, more importantly, ties to Gannon himself.
Enter Bobby Babich and Sam Siefkes
Let’s start with Bobby Babich, who most recently served as the Buffalo Bills’ defensive coordinator. Babich is expected to take over as the Packers’ defensive pass game coordinator and secondary coach - a role that essentially replaces Derrick Ansley.
Babich spent the last two seasons calling plays for a Bills defense that ranked 14th in yards per play allowed and 20th in DVOA last year. Before that, he was Buffalo’s safeties coach for four years and had a stint with the Browns as a defensive backs assistant.
Interestingly, Babich had previously interviewed for Green Bay’s defensive coordinator opening before Jeff Hafley was hired.
Now he gets his shot in Green Bay, this time under Gannon - and his experience leading a defense should be a valuable asset, especially as the Packers transition to a new scheme.
Then there’s Sam Siefkes, who’s expected to be the new linebackers coach. Siefkes spent last season as the defensive coordinator at Virginia Tech, but he’s no stranger to Gannon.
The two worked together in Arizona, where Siefkes coached linebackers in 2023 and 2024. His familiarity with Gannon’s approach, combined with his recent experience calling plays at the college level, makes him a natural fit for this role.
A Trend Worth Watching
There’s a clear pattern emerging with Gannon’s early hires: experience calling plays. Both Babich and Siefkes have coordinated defenses, and that might not be a coincidence. Gannon’s own scheme remains something of a mystery - we don’t yet know exactly what his version of the Packers’ defense will look like - but surrounding himself with coaches who’ve been in the play-caller’s chair gives him a strong foundation to build from.
There’s still a question mark around DeMarcus Covington, the Packers’ defensive line coach. If he stays on staff, that would make three coaches on the defensive side with coordinator-level experience - a rare level of depth in terms of tactical knowledge and leadership.
What This Means for the Packers
This isn’t just a routine shuffle of assistants. Gannon is laying the groundwork for a new defensive identity in Green Bay, and he’s doing it with coaches who’ve seen the game from the top of the defensive hierarchy. That kind of experience matters, especially in a league where game plans evolve weekly and versatility is king.
There’s still work to be done - Gannon’s staff isn’t complete yet - but the early moves suggest a clear direction: build a brain trust of proven defensive minds and let that collective experience shape the next era of Packers football.
For Green Bay fans, this is a storyline to watch closely. The pieces are starting to fall into place, and with Gannon at the helm, the Packers' defense could be in for a significant transformation.