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As the future of Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur seems to be in flux, there is no doubt that if he were to be available, he would shoot towards the top of the list of hot candidates for open head coaching jobs. Though the Packers are working towards a new deal for LaFleur, an NFL insider ponders the contract the team is willing to give him.
After another disappointing exit in the playoffs for Green Bay, losing a big lead to the Chicago Bears in the wild-card game, all eyes have been on LaFleur and his future. Breer would emphasize how much the team adores LaFleur, but speculates whether the franchise wants to give the coach a new contract worth around $15 million a year, or possibly move on, potentially via a trade.
“The Packers still love Matt LaFleur, who’s a really good coach and representative of that organization,” Breer wrote. “That said, Green Bay’s situation is one where his contract could come into play. New team president Ed Policy punted on extending LaFleur over the summer, and now LaFleur’s going into a contract year. The market says he should get a deal in the $15 million per year range.”
“Will the Packers be willing to go that far? If they aren’t, would they let LaFleur go preemptively, or try to trade him to a place where he has connections (he coached Ryan in Atlanta and worked with Jon-Eric Sullivan in Green Bay)?” Breer continued.
The connections made include Matt Ryan, who, when LaFleur coached the offense with the Atlanta Falcons, is now the president of football, a team that needs a head coach. Also, the Miami Dolphins hired Jon-Eric Sullivan from Green Bay as their general manager, and they also need a coach after firing Mike McDaniel.
With rumors around the Packers and LaFleur, it would be reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN that the expectation is that the team will “work out a deal in the coming days” to retain the coach. With one year left on his current deal, both Green Bay and LaFeur “want clarity moving forward.”
The Packers look to improve after finishing 9-7-1, putting them second in the NFC North, as it remains to be seen if the team signs LaFleur back or moves on from the head coach.
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