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When news broke that Robert Saleh, fresh off being fired by the New York Jets, had been spotted at Green Bay Packers practice, it turned heads around the NFL.
With a hefty sum left on his contract for the next few years, as the Jets are still obliged to pay him even after his exit, most thought Saleh would lay low, take it easy, and enjoy his first fall in years without having to draw up game plans and stress over time outs.
Nope, Saleh has instead decided to team back up with long-time pal Matt LaFleur in Green Bay, where he is presumably helping out the team in an unspecified role.
Asked about the reason for bringing Saleh to town in the middle of the 2024 NFL season, LaFleur noted that the idea of adding an elite defensive mind to his offensive meetings was too good to pass up.
“Yeah, I think it helps,” LaFleur told ESPN. “Having a defensive mind talking offense and helping us with things he might be able to see, kind of similar scheme stuff, things the defense might be looking for, it helps. I think he's got an elite defensive mind. But that's why I want him on the offensive side, so he can help us attack the defenses.”
Now, to be fair, LaFleur isn't the first person to hire a released defensive coach to help out with offensive game planning, as the Philadelphia Eagles famously brought in Vic Fangio to help out with their Super Bowl prep in 2022. Still, if this can help the Packers play better down the stretch, why not embrace the idea and go all-in on Saleh, especially if, again, he's being paid handsomely by the Jets?
Robert Saleh will not be calling the Packers' defense
When news broke that Saleh would be doing some work with the Jets, some fans immediately wondered if he would be taking over for Jeff Hafley as the Packers defensive coordinator.
Well, as it turns out, the answer is no, as LaFleur shut down any idea of his first-year DC having to take a sidekick role to one of the better defensive minds in the NFL.
“No, I don't want to do that. I think Haf and our defensive staff have a great thing going right now,” LaFleur said. “And I totally trust them, so I think it's Year 1, he's kind of got to go through it himself. So, I don't want to do that.”
Would magically installing Saleh's defense make the Packers a better team in 2024? Potentially so, but making such a move in the middle of the year is borderline unprecedented and might not even be necessary, as the Packers rank in the top 15 in both rushing and passing defense this season. No, for better or worse, this current arrangement makes more sense for now and moving forward, at least until 2025.
