The Green Bay Packers had a disappointing 2015 season in which they started out 6-0 only to lose seven of their next 12 games, including losing at home to all three NFC North teams for the first time since 1968. Still, if you check an online sportsbook you’ll find the Packers are still one of the favorites for Super Bowl LI. I believe with some changes to the coaching staff, some of which are already underway, the Packers may indeed be able to improve in 2016.
The Packers have reportedly hired tight ends coach Brian Angelichio, formerly of the Cleveland Browns, and running backs coach Ben Sirmans, formerly of the Los Angeles Rams. Angelichio was fired with the whole staff in Cleveland while Rams head coach Jeff Fisher fired Sirmans following the season.
I like those two hires. Angelichio has had success in his two stops since joining the league in 2012 with Tampa Bay. Unfortunately he picked two of the sorriest coaching staffs and rosters in the NFL to work with. However, he did have success with developing Tim Wright in Tampa and getting a career year out of journeyman Gary Barnidge in Cleveland last year. Sirmans has dealt mostly with youngsters while with the Rams the last four years, and helped guide Todd Gurley to NFL Rookie of Year last year.
I think from there the Packers need, and will hire, a true wide receivers coach. The quarterback/wide receivers coach experiment last year was an abject failure. The wide receivers were missing in action most of the year after losing Jordy Nelson in the preseason. One can only wonder how Davante Adams would have done with a little hands-on coaching, both for his play and his mindset. We can only hope his growth wasn’t stunted beyond repair.
I also think they need to name a true offensive coordinator. Edgar Bennett is the offensive coordinator and Tom Clements is Associate Head Coach/Offense. But now the Associate Head Coach/Offense is no longer calling plays so do you really need two guys who are basically doing the same job? One has to go and I hope it’s Clements.
On defense the Packers should do whatever they can to get Kevin Greene to come back to Green Bay. With Greene announcing last week he wants to come back to coaching the Packers should have been on the phone immediately. Do what you have to do, but get him back.
With head coach Mike McCarthy back to calling plays and few tweaks to fix the bad moves of last offseason, the Packers could look much different next year, on both sides of the ball.