It was both get acquainted and get re-acquainted day at Lambeau Field. In the media auditorium for the first time since that painful playoff night against the San Francisco 49ers, the Packers presented nine either new or newly promoted assistant coaches for interview sessions.
Headlining the list was the last one on the list, new Special Teams Coordinator Rich Bisaccia.
Rich Bisaccia
For over 20 years, the self-described “short, bald Italian” has been a special teams coach or coordinator in the NFL with long stays in Tampa Bay and Dallas before joining the Oakland and then Las Vegas Raiders. Last year, Bisaccia was thrust into the eye of the Jon Gruden resignation hurricane, taking over as interim Head Coach and finding a way to lead the Raiders into the playoffs. Passed over for the full time job, given to former New England coordinator Josh McDaniels, Biscaccia found himself looking for work again. So why come to Green Bay?
Bisaccia will inherit a Special Teams unit that to put it mildly, was a disaster in 2021, capped by the blocked field goal and blocked punt returned for a touchdown in the NFC Divisional Playoff stunner. Known for his enthusiastic approach to building a functional special teams, Rich talked about his philosophy.
Next on the list of most interest to me, was the return of Tom Clements as quarterback coach.
Tom Clements
Hired by Mike McCarthy in 2006, Clements spent a decade with the Packers during the transition from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers. He later rose to offensive coordinator and Associate Head Coach before departing after the 2016 season. Clements spent a couple of years with the Arizona Cardinals but wasn’t very enthused about the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it had on both his career and family so he decided to retire, taking 2021 off entirely. So what brought him back to the Packers?
Clements deadpanned, “Delta”.
Actually, it was his prized pupil, Rodgers, that reached out to him when the season ended and both Nathaniel Hackett and Luke Getsy departed for the Head Coaching job in Denver and the Chicago offensive coordinator positions opened up.
Even after Clements departed, Rodgers spoke often and glowingly about the impact he had on his career development, now a four time NFL Most Valuable Player. When Rodgers came off his second straight MVP this past season, Clements had an inkling he was ready to give an 18th season in Green Bay a go.
Rodgers will most likely be a no show when the Packer off-season program begins next week and Clements said he’s looking forward to getting to know and working with Jordan Love.
The third newcomer to the staff is Outside Linebackers coach Jason Rebrovich.
Jason Rebrovich
Coming to the Packers from the Jacksonvile Jaguars, Rebrovich won’t have veterans Za’Darius Smith, now a Minnesota Viking or the retired Whitney Mercilus to work with, but is excited to coach the returning edge rushers in Preston Smith and Rashan Gary.
Old coaches in new places included Adam Stenavich, the offensive line coach who is the successor to Hackett as Matt LaFleur’s offensive coordinator. Stenavich said the added responsibility has been exciting but he also knows the difficult challenge awaiting to try and replace the passing game production when the most productive wide receiver in the NFL the past two years in Adams, is now in Las Vegas. He said the returning skill players on offense, added to the mix of newcomers at receiver will allow them to continue to run what has been successfully run in the past.
Wide receivers coach Jason Vrabel, given the added title of passing game coordinator, told reporters, “It was tough, I’m not going to lie to you”, when he heard of Adams getting dealt to the Raiders. With Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb and Amari Rodgers being the only returning receivers with any experience to speak of, Vrabel said he’s anxious to welcome what’s expected to be at least 2 if not more receivers in the draft class later this month into the fold.
Highlights from the other coaches to step from the podium included Jerry Montgomery, the defensive line coach who’s now the run game defensive coordinator for DC Joe Barry. Montgomery says veteran free agent Jarran Reed will be an excellent addition to the likes of Kenny Clark and Dean Lowry on his front line.
New safeties coach Ryan Downard called out Darnell Savage in particular, believing he can become an elite NFL safety very soon.
Luke Butkus, the nephew of Bear Hall of Famer Dick Butkus, is now the lead offensive line coach. He took the good natured ribbing of his uncle in stride. The linebacking great tweeted how proud he was of his nephew to take over the O-line duties with an “expansion” team. Butkus expects David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins to return to form in 2021 and he loves the toughness of the young linemen drafted in recent years that will form the corps on the unit down the road in players like Josh Myers, Jon Runyan and Royce Newman.
New tight ends coach John Dunn finished off the session. He joined the team as a senior analyst a year ago and said Robert Tonyan is on track for his return from ACL surgery last year and it will be great if ageless veteran Marcedes Lewis returns to continue mentoring young players in the room like Josiah Deguara and Dominique Dafney.
The Packers welcome players back into the facility next week for the start of another off-season conditioning and training program.
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