The Green Bay Packers are in the middle of a pivotal offseason decision, and it doesn’t involve a draft pick or free agent-it’s about the future of head coach Matt LaFleur. As contract talks continue to drag on, the issue isn’t necessarily the dollar amount, but rather the length of the deal. Still, in the NFL, term and money are always intertwined.
According to sources close to the situation, the Packers are reportedly offering LaFleur a one- or two-year extension. That’s a short runway for a coach who’s guided the team through a major quarterback transition and has kept them competitive in a tough NFC landscape. While the per-year salary is expected to land somewhere between $14 and $15 million, the real sticking point appears to be how much guaranteed money the Packers are willing to commit.
Let’s break that down. If LaFleur gets a two-year extension at, say, $14.5 million annually, and he’s still got one year left on his current deal-estimated around $9 million-that would put the total package at about $38 million in guaranteed money. Not a small number, but when you compare it to what John Harbaugh reportedly secured on the open market-$100 million-it becomes clear why LaFleur might be looking for more than a short-term bridge deal.
And it’s not just about comparing LaFleur to Super Bowl-winning veterans. First-time head coaches are cashing in too.
Chicago’s Ben Johnson signed a five-year deal worth $65 million, and Jacksonville’s Liam Coen landed a similar five-year, $60 million contract. Neither has coached an NFL game as a head coach, yet they’re getting long-term security and top-tier pay.
For LaFleur, who’s already proven he can win in this league, that’s got to factor into the negotiation.
Now, here’s where things get interesting. The Packers, historically known for their conservative approach to contracts, may be hesitant to commit big money over a long term.
One agent familiar with the situation described the team as “still a little bit of a mom-and-pop organization,” suggesting that their caution is rooted in old-school thinking. And while the Packers may be trying to hedge their bets with a shorter deal, LaFleur has leverage.
He’s built a winning culture in Green Bay, and he’s not looking to coach under the constant threat of being shown the door.
There’s also a potential Plan B in play. Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley is reportedly viewed as a possible successor if the Packers and LaFleur part ways.
Hafley is already drawing interest across the league-he’s interviewed or is set to interview with six of the eight current head coaching vacancies: Arizona, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Miami, Pittsburgh, and Tennessee. That kind of demand means he won’t be available forever.
If Green Bay were to promote Hafley, they could do so at a significantly lower cost-around $7 million per year. And if they gave him a standard five-year deal, that’s a $35 million commitment, roughly in line with what they’d be guaranteeing LaFleur under the current extension offer.
It’s a financial move that makes sense on paper, but it also comes with risk. Hafley has never been a head coach in the NFL.
LaFleur has.
Should the Packers decide to move on, they’d likely allow LaFleur to explore opportunities elsewhere, possibly in exchange for draft compensation to get out of the final year of his deal. But that window may be closing. Hafley’s stock is rising fast, and if the Packers wait too long, they could miss out on both options-retaining a proven coach or securing a hot new candidate.
At the moment, LaFleur holds the upper hand. He’s proven he can lead this team, he’s developed young talent, and he’s navigated the post-Aaron Rodgers era with more success than many expected. Now, the Packers have to decide if they’re ready to go all-in-or risk losing a coach who’s already shown he knows how to win in Green Bay.