Getty Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur has hired his former college teammate as a senior analyst.
The Green Bay Packers haven’t made a ton of coaching changes this offseason, but head coach Matt LaFleur has added a recognizable name, and also a former college teammate of his, as a senior analyst.
Prior to his coaching days, LaFleur was a wide receiver and backup quarterback at Western Michigan in 1998 and 1999 before transferring to Saginaw Valley State and eventually playing in the National Indoor Football League. While playing in Kalamazoo, LaFleur was the backup to Tim Lester, who would eventually become Western Michigan’s head coach from 2017 to 2022.
Now, the two former quarterbacks are reuniting in Green Bay. According to Matthew Ehler with The Flint Journal, Lester has been hired onto the Packers coaching staff as a senior analyst.
Lester has been coaching in high school and college since 2000, most recently serving as Western Michigan’s head coach and Purdue’s quarterback coach in 2016. Now, he’ll have his first opportunity to work with an NFL franchise as he tries to help turn Green Bay’s offense around.
Have the Packers Made Any Other Coaching Changes?
While the Packers have yet to reveal their finalized coaching staff for 2023, reports have given fans and media members a good picture of what things will look like next season.
Few changes have been made, and LaFleur stated almost immediately after the end of the season that defensive coordinator Joe Barry would be returning. In fact, most of the moves that the Packers have made have involved filling in holes due to departures rather than drastic changes at the top of the staff.
One hole that needed to be filled was in the secondary, with former defensive backs coach Jerry Gray leaving for a similar role with the Atlanta Falcons. To replace him, the Packers have brought in former Arizona Cardinals corners coach Greg Williams, although it has yet to be confirmed and announced by the team.
One of the bigger moves that has still yet to be announced in the future surrounding quarterbacks coach Tom Clements. A longtime coach for Aaron Rodgers, Clements returned for 2022 to work once again with the four-time MVP. It’s unclear if Clements will return if Rodgers is traded, but Aaron Nagler with CheeseheadTV pointed out that backup QB Jordan Love took major strides in his first year with the tenured QB coach.
The Packers may not be done with their coaching search, but as of right now it seems that LaFleur has a pretty good idea of who will be on his staff.
The Latest on Aaron Rodgers
While the Packers are busy filling out their coaching staff and restructuring contracts, the entire football world is anxiously waiting on Rodgers to make a decision about his future.
Speculation has reached a fever pitch with reports that the Packers and New York Jets have entered into trade discussions surrounding the 39-year-old quarterback. Rodgers has even met with Jets officials and according to ESPN’s Dianna Russini, there is optimism in New York that he is willing to play for the same team that Brett Favre was traded to at the end of his time in Green Bay.
In the wake of an extensive in-person meeting between Aaron Rodgers & New York Jets brass, including owner Woody Johnson, there’s optimism in the Jets’ organization that they are on the brink of landing the future Hall of Fame QB, sources close to the situation tell ESPN.
There are still hurdles that both teams need to get through for a trade to go through. First, Rodgers has to officially decide that he’s willing to be traded rather than retire or continue playing in Green Bay. Meanwhile, the Jets and Packers need to agree on the financial component of Rodgers’ contract, with Green Bay taking a $40 million dead cap to move him while the New York will have to take on the remainder of his massive deal.
However, with the way things are progressing between all parties involved, it’s becoming increasingly likely that Rodgers will be playing for the Jets in 2023.