Thursday Thoughts: New Coordinators

General manager Brian Gutekunst spoke to the press for 15 minutes on Tuesday, and he paid homage to the late Ted Thompson by saying nothing of interest. If you’re a fan over 40, you probably miss the far more loquacious Ron Wolf with each passing year. Anyway, here are three of the many Packers-related thoughts that ran through my head the past few days:

1) New coordinators Maurice Drayton and Joe Barry were introduced to the media this week, and it didn’t take long to see why they were hired. Matt LaFleur has a clear preference when it comes to the men who hold these jobs. He wants coaches with outgoing personalities and great energy (i.e. Nathaniel Hackett). Neither Mike Pettine nor Shawn Mennenga fit that profile. While they seemed like perfectly fine human beings, they were pretty reserved – both on the practice field and during games. Pettine was forced on LaFleur, and after missing out on a number of his preferred candidates, it always felt as if he settled for Mennenga. Well, it took two years and many frustrating Sundays, but LaFleur finally got to truly hire his own coordinators for special teams and defense last month. Whether Drayton and Barry will be more successful than their predecessors remains to be seen. What’s not uncertain is that meetings at 1265 Lombardi Avenue will be more enjoyable for players and coaches, press conferences will be more interesting for fans and media, and practices will be louder and more spirited.

2) Drayton’s response when asked about punter JK Scott and long-snapper Hunter Bradley was unenthusiastic. “They understand that their backs are against the wall” were his exact words. This suggests the Packers will make the two former draft picks earn their spots on the 53-man roster this summer. While Scott has a big leg, he’s yet to produce a net average as good as the one Justin Vogel – the player he replaced – had in 2017. And you can be sure the former Alabama star didn’t earn many fans in the organization when he twice ran away from contact last season. As for Bradley, his snapping has been somewhat erratic. He’s also made only two tackles in 48 games. For the sake of comparison, ex-Packer Rick Lovato made three tackles for the Eagles last season alone. Based on Drayton’s comments, it looks as if the free ride Scott and Bradley have enjoyed for the past couple of summers is over. That, along with the firing of Mennenga, is a step in the right direction when it comes to improving special teams.

3) If the league approves a 17-game schedule for 2021, Green Bay’s extra game would be at Kansas City. Thanks, NFL. That would mean playing eight of 11 out-of-division games against teams that made the postseason in 2020. And of the three teams that didn’t qualify for the tournament, Arizona went 8-8, and San Francisco might’ve been the best team in the NFC before injuries decimated their roster. For what it’s worth, looking at the 2020 schedule a year ago at this time, only five of the Packers’ 10 out-of-division games were against playoff teams. And while I understand that a schedule can look a lot different in the spring than it will look in the fall and winter, it’s hard to imagine a scenario unfolding over the course of the next nine months that doesn’t end up with the Packers facing a daunting challenge. Just look at some of the quarterbacks they’ll be seeing – Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, Matthew Stafford (with the Rams), Ben Roethlisberger, Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray, and Lamar Jackson. Simply put, the Packers, who’ve won 11 of 12 division games under Matt LaFleur, better be ready to dominate the North again.