The Green Bay Packers search for a defensive coordinator before the 2024 season ended with a roll of the dice, as head coach Matt LaFleur opted to take a chance on Boston College coach Jeff Hafley. Two years later, there could be a new Packers coaching search for a defensive play-caller with Hafley one of the top head-coaching candidates this offseason.
There is a critical factor to note when it comes to highlighting potential targets to be the next Packers defensive coordinator. As Justis Mosqueda of AcmePackingCompany.com has covered in-depth, Green Bay spends well below the league average on assistant coaches, and it largely prefers to promote from within . So, it is very realistic to think that Jeff Hafley's successor will come from the current Packers coaching staff.
Let's dive into our Packers defensive coordinator candidates in the likely event that Hafley leaves.
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DeMarcus Covington came to Green Bay last offseason after previously working for the New England Patriots , most recently as the team's defensive coordinator in 2024. New England's defense struggled that year, ranking 20th in yards per play allowed (5.5), 24th in scoring rate (42.8 percent) and 30th in EPA per play (0.084).
However, it is worth noting that defensive tackle Christian Barmore missed the majority of that season with blood clots and the club did not have the likes of Milton Williams , Carlton Davis , Robert Spillane and Harold Landry . In Green Bay, Covington's group largely dealt with injuries to Lukas Van Ness , Devonte Wyatt and Micah Parsons that impacted the unit's success. Viewed as a viable defensive coordinator candidate for several other jobs, Green Bay could opt to keep Covington by offering him a promotion.
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There is also a real possibility that the next Packers defensive coordinator is an internal hire who has more history with the organization. If that is the case, pass game coordinator Derrick Ansley has been with the club for two seasons now, and he does have a good relationship with All-Pro safety Xavier McKinney .
Before coming to Green Bay, Ansley worked with the Los Angeles Chargers as a defensive coordinator (2023) and defensive backs coach (2021-22) under defensive-minded head coach Brandon Staley. He did not call plays in Los Angeles, but his experience working under two great defensive coordinators (Hafley and Staley) could prove more appealing to the Packers. Plus, given the development of the safeties and the faith this coaching staff seems to have in its defensive backs, perhaps he would even be the preferred option for LaFleur.
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If LaFleur signs a contract extension, we tend to believe that the next Packers defensive coordinator will be Covington or Ansley. With that said, the potential departure of Hafley would at least open the door to a coaching search. LaFleur has gone after him in the past, but he was turned down. Now that Leonhard seems ready to stick around in the NFL, he has a chance to return home to Wisconsin.
| PPG |
Total YPG |
3rd Down % |
Yards per Play |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 |
13.9 (2nd) |
262.1 (2nd in FBS) |
29.1% (4th) |
4.2 (3rd in FBS) |
| 2018 |
22.6 (27th) |
344.2 (24th) |
37.43% (48th) |
5.4 (50th) |
| 2019 |
16.9 (8th) |
288.6 (4th) |
27.27% (1st) |
4.6 (6th) |
| 2020 |
17.4 (9th) |
299.9 (4th) |
28.74% (5th) |
4.9 (19th) |
| 2021 |
16.2 (3rd) |
239.7 (1st) |
29.34% (2nd) |
4.0 (1st) |
| 2022 |
21.9 (24th) |
308.6 (9th) |
32.54% (15th) |
4.6 (11th) |
College football statistics via TeamRankings.com
Jim Leonhard's track record as a defensive play-caller at Wisconsin speaks for itself. From 2017 to 2022, he oversaw one of the best defenses in the nation as the Badgers routinely ranked in the top 10 for fewest yards per game allowed and often finished among the 10 best defenses on third down and in terms of yards per play allowed. After two seasons learning from Sean Payton and Vance Joseph, becoming the next Packers defensive coordinator could be the next step forward in Leonhard's coaching career.
Sarah Kloepping/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK
Assuming LaFleur sticks around, Green Bay could have an opportunity this offseason to take a swipe at the Chicago Bears coaching staff and Ben Johnson. Al Harris, a member of the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, currently works under Dennis Allen in Chicago as a defensive backs coach and defensive pass game coordinator. There is no viable path to him getting a promotion. A return to Green Bay provides that. The Packers would be taking a chance on a first-time defensive play-caller, but it would also mean bringing a franchise legend home and poaching from Johnson's staff. Plus, it would be cheaper for the team to hire Harris than landing someone like Brian Flores or Jim Schwartz.
Related: NFL Defense Rankings 2026
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