The Green Bay Packers are no strangers to offseason shakeups, but this year’s coaching carousel has been especially active. The biggest domino fell when defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley left to become the new head coach of the Miami Dolphins, forcing head coach Matt LaFleur to pivot quickly as he looks to reshape his defensive staff. And now, Hafley isn’t leaving Green Bay empty-handed.
On Monday, two more names joined the exodus: defensive backs coach Ryan Downard and linebackers coach Sean Duggan are both heading to Miami to join Hafley’s staff. Downard’s departure is a notable loss-he played a key role in the secondary’s strong performance last season. But when it comes to Duggan, there’s a case to be made that this move might actually benefit the Packers in the long run.
Sean Duggan’s Tenure in Green Bay: A Closer Look
Duggan’s arrival in Green Bay was tied directly to Hafley. The two go back to their Ohio State days in 2019, when Duggan was a graduate assistant and Hafley was co-defensive coordinator.
That relationship carried through to Boston College, where Duggan served as linebackers coach throughout Hafley’s four-year stint as head coach. It made sense for Hafley to bring in someone he trusted when he took over the Packers' defense in 2024.
The hope was that Duggan would elevate the linebacker room with his college experience and eye for talent. And early on, it looked promising.
The Packers invested in the position during the 2024 NFL Draft, selecting Edgerrin Cooper in the second round and Ty’Ron Hopper in the third. Cooper flashed right away, posting 87 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, an interception, and 3.5 sacks as a rookie.
But after Duggan was promoted to linebackers coach, Cooper’s production took a hit. His tackle total climbed to 118 in 2025, but his impact plays-tackles for loss, sacks, and turnovers-dropped significantly.
Hopper, meanwhile, has struggled to find his footing. He’s appeared in all 34 games since entering the league but hasn’t been able to carve out a consistent role on defense. Just 33 total tackles and one tackle for loss over two seasons tells the story of a player still searching for a breakout moment.
And while development is never a straight line, the regression of some of the Packers’ more established linebackers under Duggan’s watch raises eyebrows.
Quay Walker’s Decline in Coverage
Quay Walker’s career arc offers a telling example. As a rookie in 2022, Walker showed real promise in coverage-31 receptions allowed on 46 targets, just 304 yards and a single touchdown, plus five pass breakups.
His second year saw a dip, but he was still serviceable. Then came the last two seasons under Duggan, and the numbers paint a concerning picture.
In 2024, Walker gave up 373 yards on 41 receptions with just two pass breakups. But 2025 was a different story.
He allowed 67 receptions for 653 yards and six touchdowns-numbers that ranked among the worst in the league for linebackers. Only Tampa Bay’s Lavonte David allowed more touchdowns in coverage this season.
Teams clearly saw something they could exploit, targeting Walker 84 times, the fourth-highest total in the NFL among linebackers.
McDuffie’s Stagnation
Isaiah McDuffie also plateaued under Duggan. He’s been a reliable tackler-logging over 90 total stops in each of the past two seasons-but the splash plays have been few and far between.
His five tackles for loss in 2023 were nearly matched by his combined total from 2024 and 2025. And his coverage numbers took a hit as well, giving up five touchdowns on 56 targets in 2024.
When veterans regress and young talent stalls, it’s often a sign that something isn’t clicking in the position room. Whether it was scheme, communication, or development, the results just weren’t there.
A Quiet Reset for the Packers
LaFleur may not have actively pushed Duggan out the door, but there’s a sense that this was a change he was willing to embrace. Coaching transitions are a natural part of the NFL cycle, and not every departure is met with hand-wringing. In this case, Duggan’s move to Miami could open the door for fresh ideas and a new approach to a linebacker group that has underperformed relative to its potential.
It remains to be seen what role Duggan will take on with the Dolphins, though it’s likely to involve the linebackers. For the Packers, the focus now shifts to finding the right coach to unlock the next level in players like Cooper, Hopper, Walker, and McDuffie.
Bottom line: Not all coaching losses are setbacks. In some cases, they’re opportunities in disguise. And as Green Bay looks to take the next step in 2026, the departure of Sean Duggan might just be one of them.