It has been five years since the Green Bay Packers showed interest in hiring Jim Leonhard to replace Mike Pettine as their defensive coordinator. It didn’t work out then, and Joe Barry and Jeff Hafley have since held that role, but the stars may finally align this offseason.
Head coach Matt LaFleur is in the process of interviewing candidates for the role after Hafley took the Miami Dolphins’ head coach job. LaFleur hasn’t made his decision yet, and ESPN’s Rob Demovsky believes there’s a good reason for that.
“I don’t think anything happens until he can talk to Jim Leonhard. I think Jim Leonhard is high on his list,” Demovsky told ESPN Milwaukee.
It’s becoming clear that Matt LaFleur wants to interview Jim Leonhard for the Packers’ DC opening
LaFleur hasn’t spoken to Leonhard yet because league rules forbid it. Leonhard is preparing for the AFC Championship Game as the Denver Broncos’ defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator. Per NFL rules, he can’t speak to teams about job openings until after Sunday’s game.
Regardless of the outcome, LaFleur can contact Leonhard next week. If the Broncos lose, he will be free to join any team immediately. If Denver advances to the Super Bowl, Leonhard could interview but not take the job until February.
Demovsky then answered an important question: the longer this goes, does the likelihood of the Packers hiring Leonhard increase?
“I think that’s a great observation,” Demovsky said. “I think that is 100 percent in play. There are probably more people LaFleur wants to talk to and interview, but if they were gonna hire, and maybe they will hire Jonathan Gannon, I don’t know, but if they were gonna hire him, why not hire him by now?”
LaFleur has indeed interviewed former Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, and Demovsky makes a fair point. If Gannon was LaFleur’s top choice, why not hire him now? Why wait? Casting a wide net is great, but you also want to strike as soon as possible and avoid losing your top candidate to another team.
Demovsky noted that Leonhard’s family still lives in Madison, Wisconsin, which could give him an extra incentive to take the job in Green Bay.
Not that he needs it. The Packers’ defensive coordinator job should be highly sought after. Leonhard would have the opportunity to work with All-Pros in Micah Parsons and Xavier McKinney, as well as rising stars in Edgerrin Cooper and Evan Williams. It’s a talented defense that, when fully healthy, is among the best in the league.
Green Bay needs to add another piece or two in the offseason, but with Leonhard, this unit could go from very good to elite.
Leonhard hasn’t called plays in the NFL, but he has succeeded in just about every role throughout his career. As Wisconsin’s defensive coordinator, Leonhard led a top-six defense in college football four times in six seasons. He is now thriving as the Broncos’ pass game coordinator and assistant head coach. His defense could carry Denver to the Super Bowl.
Packers fans hope that doesn’t happen. If the New England Patriots win on Sunday, it means Leonhard will instantly become available.
The Packers missed the opportunity to hire him in 2021, but it seems he’s once again high on LaFleur’s list. Packers fans’ dream may finally become a reality.
