Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst met with the media for about an hour to end the 2020 season.
The Packers were one game below the Super Bowl for the second straight season, losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game. Both LaFleur and Gutekunst discussed the loss and the future at Green Bay.
Here are 10 things you should know about the Packers’ end-of-season press conferences:
1 Aaron Rodgers is the Packers QB in 2021, and maybe later?
AP Photo / Jeffrey Phelps
There is no more uncertainty about who will be the Packers quarterback in 2021. It is Aaron Rodgers, as LaFleur and Gutekunst said emphatically on Monday. LaFleur said that Rodgers will be “absolutely” his defender “for a long time”, while Gutekunst has repeatedly committed himself to Rodgers for 2021 and the future and said there is no scenario in which he would change him this off-season.
Read the full story here.
Gutekunst said he does not regret having chosen Jordan Love, who he called a talented candidate. Packers remain committed to using resources in the acquisition and development of players in the position of defender.
2 LaFleur takes the blame
LaFleur said that a lack of communication between him and defensive coordinator Mike Pettine was to blame for the Buccaneers’ touchdown before the end of the first half in the game for the NFC title, and he took all the blame for not rectifying the situation before ending in a game-score change.
“The bottom line is that all the calls go through me,” said LaFleur. I don’t care who makes the call, it’s all my fault. Final result. I am responsible for each playcall, attack, defense, special teams. Every call goes through me. If I ever become dissatisfied with a call, I can do something about it. That’s all I’m really going to say about it. “
The inexplicable touchdown gave the Buccaneers a 21-10 lead at halftime, and the Packers lost by five points.
Read the full story here.
3 Maurice Drayton confirmed as coordinator of special teams
MARK HOFFMAN / MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL
LaFleur confirmed that Maurice Drayton, Shawn Mennenga’s assistant for the past two years, will take over the Packers’ special teams in 2021.
“He is an excellent teacher, an excellent communicator,” said LaFleur. “So much energy and enthusiasm. I really think it can raise our level of play in that area. Man who’s been here for a while. I had the opportunity to interview him on the first attempt, I was super impressed with him, I just didn’t know much about him. After being with him two years ago, I think it was only a matter of time before he had one of those other opportunities that presented itself outside this building. I didn’t want to lose a guy like Mo Drayton. “
Drayton has five seasons of experience as an assistant coach for special teams, including the last three seasons at Green Bay.
Read more about Drayton here.
4 Clear view of the next defensive coordinator
LaFleur said the Packers have a “clear view” of what the team is looking for in the next defensive coordinator. Although he did not reveal exactly what he was looking for, he spoke with several coaches and defense coordinators about potential candidates. Part of the process is finding the right “mindset”.
“You want people to earn every inch on the grass,” said LaFleur. “There is a certain mentality that you have to have, and you have to bring it daily.”
LaFleur said he will interview at least one internal candidate for the job.
We highlight 15 candidates for defensive coordinator here.
5 LaFleur does not regret the last field goal
AP Photo / Jeffrey Phelps
Asked if he would kick the field goal on the fourth descent at the end of the fourth period again, LaFleur defended his controversial decision and explained in more detail the thinking process behind settling for the three points of the 8-yard line below eight points.
LaFleur said he spoke to the team’s director of analysis before the game and decided that the two options were not very different in terms of the overall likelihood of victory. He knew that the defense needed to stop in any scenario. By kicking the basket, the Packers opened up a chance to win the game in regulation.
“No matter how you cut, you have to stop defensively,” said LaFleur.
However, LaFleur said that not getting yards in the previous three plays was an important factor in the decision.
“If I had to do it again, if it was the 4th for the 8-yard line goal, we would be kicking the field goal,” said LaFleur. “If it’s the fourth and fifth goal, I think we have a different discussion. You have to play the percentages. “
He said he “probably should have communicated” the thought process on the third and fourth descents to Aaron Rodgers beforehand, but he appreciated his quarterback’s desire to go ahead on the fourth descent.
6 assistant coach matches
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LaFleur confirmed that offensive QA assistant Kevin Koger is going to the Los Angeles Chargers to be the team’s new coach, while senior analyst Butch Barry goes to San Francisco to be the assistant coach of the 49ers offensive line. Both are promotions.
“I would like to have something here for them,” said LaFleur. “But whenever you see guys who are able to have opportunities to improve themselves, both professionally and in the lives of their families, this is important to us. I certainly don’t want to prevent people from having these opportunities. We will miss them, but we wish you all the best. “
Despite leading the league in scoring, the Packers lost only two low-level technical assistants to LaFleur’s team.
7 GM Packers ready for a single year
Adam Wesley / USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Gutekunst said he believes he will be able to get through a challenging off-season without “gutting” his team. The Packers have a number of important free agents to deal with to start the new year of the league and a difficult financial situation, with an ever-lower salary cap due to lost revenue from the pandemic.
“It is a unique year, it is very challenging, obviously we are not the only team that has these challenges. I feel very comfortable, we are working on it all year, preparing for what will happen in the next three or four months ”, said Gutekunst.
He admitted that “tough decisions” are coming, and the team will have to let the players go and probably restructure deals for others, but he worked with Russ Ball all year to prepare for a plan.
Gutekunst said he is waiting for the cap to fall. The minimum price is $ 175 million, although the team did not receive an exact figure for 2021.
Asked about Aaron Rodgers’ contract restructuring, Gutekunst responded.
8 Patient with Bakhtiari
AP Photo / Jeffrey Phelps, Archive
Gutekunst will not put “anything from the past” to attack David Bakhtiari on his return from an ACL injury, but the Packers will be patient during their recovery.
“It is a significant injury, obviously, and he is such a big part of our franchise in the long run, that we are not going to rush it because he is very important to us. But I don’t put anything but him, that’s right, ”said Gutekunst.
Bakhtiari was injured during training before week 17. He will be challenged to return to fitness before week 1 of the next season.
9 Loans for future years
AP Photo / Mike Roemer
Gutekunst said the Packers are willing – and probably are obliged – to restructure businesses and push money for the next few years to maintain their squad in 2021.
“We will have to do this this year, for sure,” said Gutekunst.
He confirmed that the Packers are prepared to take risks to win now, even if it means jeopardizing future matches. Several veteran players, including Aaron Rodgers, may be candidates for revamped deals. Converting wages into subscription bonuses spread over many years is an easy way to create an immediate ceiling.
“With the situation this year, I think most teams will kick in money to try to keep their teams together, and it certainly will be no different,” said Gutekunst.
10 other nuggets
– LaFleur said he would be willing to give up playcall if it would improve the team as a whole, and he has full confidence in coordinator Nathaniel Hackett to call the shots, but he has no plans to give up playcall.
– LaFleur praised receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling for overcoming the odds of his season and gaining confidence as a player. He said that the MVS can be run by any defensive player in the league and that the team now has more confidence in its ability.
– Gutekunst refuted a report that said the Rams tried to switch to Aaron Rodgers. “There is no truth to that.”
– Gutekunst said he would love to have Aaron Jones’ running back back, but admitted that there will be maximum difficulties in getting any of his unrestricted free agents back in 2021.
– Gutekunst is not concerned with the schematic style of the next defensive coordinator. He believes he has flexible and versatile players who can fit into any scheme.
– Gutekunst said he would like more production from the internal linebacker, but said he is excited about the potential of some young players in the position.