While the NFL readies for Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday in Phoenix, the Green Bay Packers had some comings and goings and made news on a couple of unusual fronts this week.
Head Coach Matt LaFleur has reportedly filled a vacancy on his staff with the hiring of Greg Williams to work with defensive backs. His exact role hasn’t been announced. Williams will replace Jerry Gray, the secondary coach and defensive passing game coordinator who’s contract expired and he left to become the assistant Head Coach/Defensive for the Atlanta Falcons. Williams is a 13 year NFL veteran coach who spent the past four seasons handling the secondary of the Arizona Cardinals. Prior to that he served one season in Denver and was with the Indianapolis Colts from 2009-2015.
The front office is losing Chad Brinker. After spending 13 years with the team, Brinker rose through the ranks as a scouting assistant in 2010 to become the team’s Personnel/Football Administrative Executive. Brinker led the Pro Personnel department for General Manager Brian Gutekunst and also assisted Executive Vice-President/Director of Football Operations Russ Ball with salary cap management and long range planning. Brinker is leaving to become the assistant General Manager of the Tennessee Titans.
With free agency right around the corner, one player hoping for a big pay day has changed his representation. Keisean Nixon joined the Packers on a one year deal this past off-season and emerged as the NFL’s number one kickoff returner, earning first team All-Pro recognition for his efforts. He became just the third Packer in franchise history to lead the league joining Al Charmichael and Dave Hampton.
Finally, Aaron Rodgers is still mulling over his future. Under contract for two more years with the Packers, Rodgers appeared on the Pat McAfee show this week and said he’s going to take part in a darkness, isolation retreat. He’ll spend four days and four nights alone in a small house in complete darkness. Rodgers said once he emerges from the retreat, he’ll be ready to announce his plans, return to the Packers to finish out his career, retire, or if Green Bay has decided to move on from the four time MVP after 18 seasons, be prepared to get traded as the team moves on with Jordan Love.
Speaking of Love, the NFL released the dollar figures for players at each position eligible for fifth year options on rookie contracts. For Love, that figure amounts to 20.2 million dollars for the 2023 season. The Packers have until early May to make that decision and if they bring Love back at that figure, and Rodgers is brought back, nearly 52 million dollars of the 224.8 million dollar salary cap will be tied up with just the two quarterbacks.
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