Green Bay Packers Top 10 offseason storylines

Jan 18, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks punter Jon Ryan (9) throws a 19 yard touchdown pass on a fake field goal past Green Bay Packers defensive end Datone Jones (95) and Davon House (31) during the third quarter in the NFC Championship Game at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

7.  Clean up Special Teams.

The special teams unit for Green Bay was a sore spot in 2014.  Field goals were blocked, punts were blocked and extra points were blocked.  On the gut-wrenching onside kick, Brandon Bostick failed to play his assigned role as a blocker, and may have costed his team a trip to the Super Bowl.  Seattle’s first touchdown of the game came on a fake field goal that nobody saw coming, and nobody reacted properly to.  Something needs to change.

If there are any coaching changes coming in Green Bay this offseason, it should be the dismissal of special teams coach Shawn Slocum.  While poor punts and missed field goals can be put on the errors of one player, the systematic breakdowns that plagued the Packers all season are something that need to be addressed from the top down.

Regardless of whether a new special teams coordinator is brought in or not, Green Bay must do a better job of putting the right personnel on the field.  Tim Masthay and Mason Crosby both have the ability to play well above the league average for their position, so it is important that substandard play around them does not drag them down.  Special teams blunders may seem small at the time, but in such a delicate 16-game season, the weakness could have a huge impact.

Remember that Green Bay brought in Ron Zook, the former coach of Illinois and Florida, as an assistant coach on the special teams unit this season.  He’s more than capable of taking the reigns if needed.

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