The Green Bay Packers are choosing stability in a season defined by turnover. While ten NFL teams have already parted ways with their head coaches this offseason, the Packers are doubling down on continuity, extending head coach Matt LaFleur’s contract and affirming their belief in his long-term vision for the franchise.
It’s a bold move in contrast to the chaos unfolding across the league. Just this week, the Buffalo Bills added to the head coaching carousel by parting ways with Sean McDermott following their playoff loss to the Denver Broncos. That brings the number of coaching vacancies to double digits, setting the stage for a wild hiring cycle.
But in Green Bay, the focus isn’t on starting over - it’s about building on what’s already in place. That said, change may still be coming to LaFleur’s staff, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has been drawing interest from teams with head coaching vacancies, and LaFleur himself acknowledged in his end-of-season press conference that he expects Hafley to land one of those jobs. If that happens, the Packers will be in the market for a new defensive coordinator - and one name is surfacing more than others: Raheem Morris.
Morris, who was recently let go as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, has quickly emerged as a popular candidate among fans and analysts to take over the Packers’ defense. And it’s not just speculation - there’s real substance behind the buzz.
For starters, Morris brings a wealth of experience. He’s been a head coach twice - in Tampa Bay and Atlanta - and while his overall record (37-56) and lack of playoff appearances don’t jump off the page, his résumé as a defensive coach is far more compelling. He’s been part of two Super Bowl-winning staffs: first with the Buccaneers in 2002 as a defensive quality control coach, and again with the Rams in 2021 as their defensive coordinator.
That 2021 Rams unit? Fast, physical, and championship-caliber. Morris played a key role in orchestrating that defense, blending veteran leadership with young talent and helping guide the Rams to the top of the mountain.
There’s also a personal connection here that can’t be ignored. Morris and LaFleur go back - they’ve worked together in both Washington and Atlanta, and that kind of familiarity often matters when it comes to building a cohesive coaching staff. If Hafley does move on, Morris would bring not only a strong defensive pedigree but a working relationship with LaFleur that could ease the transition.
Other names have been floated as potential replacements - Demarcus Covington, Zach Orr, Christian Parker, Derrick Ansley, and Jim Leonhard among them - but Morris stands out. He’s got the big-game experience, he’s coached at the highest level, and unlike some younger candidates, he may not be in a rush to jump back into a head coaching role, which could give the Packers some much-needed stability on that side of the ball.
In a league where coaching turnover is often the norm, Green Bay is charting a different course. They’re betting on LaFleur, and possibly eyeing a veteran like Morris to help elevate a defense that showed flashes this season but still has room to grow.
If Hafley departs, don’t be surprised if Raheem Morris is the next man up in Titletown.