Green Bay Packers coaching shakeup coming at right time
Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy has long said that if the day came where his play-calling was holding the offense back, he would step back from the role. According to a report from The Fan 107.5 WDUZ and several other NFL media outlets, the Green Bay Packers could be ready to shake things up.
The Fan's Chris Havel per NFL source: #Packers to promote WR coach Edgar Bennett to OC; Tom Clements to Associate HC w/ play-calling duties.
— The Fan 107.5 (@WDUZ) February 8, 2015
In an offense as explosive and complex as Green Bay’s there are several hands on the wheel. But whose foot which pushes the gas isn’t always clear. At this point in his career, Aaron Rodgers has the capability to run an offense much like a Peyton Manning, taking initial strategy from the sideline and adjusting the playbook on the fly to best fit the situation.
Wide receiver coach Edgar Bennett is a great candidate to elevate internally, and it’s somewhat surprising that he hasn’t been stolen away by a promotion elsewhere. McCarthy has expressed in the past that he doesn’t understand why more Green Bay assistants aren’t considered for head coaching and coordinator vacancies, but that could be due to his monopoly over the offensive strategy and play-calling. With these assistants potentially becoming more involved, that trend could change.
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If McCarthy does go ahead with this coaching shakeup, some will consider it long overdue while others will see it as a knee-jerk reaction to the Packers’ loss against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game. While the defense and a special teams blunder that shall not be spoken of have taken most of the blame, Green Bay’s offense had every opportunity to put that game well out of reach.
Rodgers and the Packers offense were given better field position than they could have imaginefbut continued to come up short with an overly-conservative game plan. It looked like a unit playing not to lose, not a unit with their pedal to the floor and chasing down victory. Was that the sign of a play-caller who has been in place too long and lost his edge? To me, that’s a bit of a jump as McCarthy had led a top offense for nearly a decade and won a Super Bowl. What I see this boiling down to is situational play-calling.
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These proposed changes would move McCarthy into a position where he would continue to be the architect of the offense while someone else’s finger is on the trigger. A new voice in Rodgers’ ear could spark this offense and result in a team more eager to bury opponents when they have the chance. McCarthy and Ted Thompson have built a great staff in Green Bay, and that staff no longer needs to trail behind. Bennett and Clements have earned a larger role, and it may be time for McCarthy to be a facilitator of that.
Along with these proposed changes, former Florida head coach Ron Zook is reportedly next in line for special teams coordinator following the firing of Shawn Slocum. hile Zook hasn’t led dominant special team units in his NFL career, the Packers are desperate for any change in their third phase.
Expect a formal announcement one way or the other regarding these coaching moves in the near future, as free agency looms less than a month away. While many teams would love McCarthy to be their play-caller, he could excel in building and overseeing the entire team more while other talented coaches expand their responsibilities. Green Bay’s offense will not be revolutionized by any of this, but attacking with fresh eyes from a new direction could be a welcome change.