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With former defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley off coaching the Miami Dolphins, the biggest move that the Green Bay Packers will make this offseason will probably be who they replace Hafley with. In talking to those in the know in the coaching and coaching representation space, two names have come up consistently (throughout the year), mostly because of convenience: defensive line coach/run game coordinator Demarcus Covington and pass game coordinator Derrick Ansley, two internal candidates who came to Green Bay after previous stints as defensive coordinators in the NFL.
Along with Hafley, both Covington and Ansley each have six years of non-Packers experience as on-field coaches in the NFL, the most on the staff outside of head coach Matt LaFleur and special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia. Covington has received some defensive coordinator interest from other clubs in 2026, but the same hasn’t been said of Ansley, at least yet.
For what it’s worth, the same people who believe that Covington and Ansley could be defensive coordinator candidates in Green Bay also believe that Hafley could bring one with him at his next gig, too. Another name to know, from the Hafley end, is Jacksonville Jaguars’ linebackers coach Tem Lukabu, who was Hafley’s defensive coordinator from 2020 to 2022. Sean Duggan, the Packers’ current linebackers coach, was a linebackers coach under Lukabu and was one of two co-defensive coordinators who were promoted once Lukabu left for the NFL.
In his opening press conference in Miami, Hafley has now stated that he will call plays from the Dolphins’ sideline. Now that the Hafley talk is over, let’s steer it back to the Packers.
A name brought up a lot by Packers fans is Raheem Morris, because of his close ties with LaFleur, but there’s some thought that he might just pivot to television (he has fans in the media) or could take a year off. Remember, when coaches are fired, their remaining salaries are still guaranteed. Morris might not be in a hurry to take a job, and he hasn’t scheduled an interview for defensive coordinator yet.
With all that being said, here’s a list of every coach who, so far, has at least scheduled an NFL defensive coordinator interview this cycle. We’ll also note which team(s) they interviewed with and if they have prior ties to the Packers.
Whitecotton actually interviewed for the Packers for their defensive line vacancy last offseason, a job that ultimately went to Covington.
Green Bay interviewed Harris, a former All-Pro cornerback for the team, on Wednesday. Harris’ Bears led the NFL in interceptions, turnovers and turnover differential in 2025.
Pleasant, the former defensive coordinator of the Lions, spent part...
