The Green Bay Packers have seen a couple of coaches follow Jeff Hafley down to South Beach. He snagged DBs coach Ryan Downard to come with him, and it didn't stop there. Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Green Bay is also losing LBs coach Sean Duggan to Hafley's Dolphins.
Although his role with Miami has yet to be determined, there's a staff vacancy, and Nick Rallis is the ideal candidate to fill it. Jonathan Gannon is the new Packers defensive coordinator, and he has a history with Rallis.
Nick Rallis Looks like Ideal LB Coach Candidate to Replace Sean Duggan
Rallis was Gannon's linebackers coach with the Philadelphia Eagles (2021-2022) and defensive coordinator with the Arizona Cardinals (2023-2025). Although Arizona still employs him, that will likely change as they are still searching for their next head coach. Once that's finalized, there will be plenty of changes on the coaching staff.
And with a void created on Green Bay's staff, Rallis seems like a logical option. During their tenure with the Eagles, the LBs played fairly well.
Alex Singleton 2021 | TJ Edwards 2021 | TJ Edwards 2022 | Kyzir White 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
Total Tackles: 137 | Total Tackles: 130 | Total Tackles: 159 | Total Tackles: 110 |
TFLs: 4 | TFLs: 5 | TFLs: 10 | TFLs: 3 |
Pass Deflections: 4 | Pass Deflections: 5 | Pass Deflections: 7 | Pass Deflections: 7 |
Based on these numbers, as these guys play a big role in this defense, Rallis and Gannon know how to get the most out of their linebackers. The fact that Gannon brought Rallis with him to Arizona and gave him a promotion shows the relationship they share.
Coaches always look for continuity, and this pairing seems ideal. With a void on the defensive side, Gannon will be tasked with finding guys to put on his staff, and Rallis fits the bill of an ideal candidate for him to consider.
The Packers' linebacker room has a building block in Edgerrin Cooper. He's set to enter his third year and has compiled 205 total tackles, 17 TFLs, eight pass deflections, and three forced fumbles. They also have Isaiah McDuffie as a veteran presence in the room.
Meanwhile, Quay Walker is set to hit free agency. While he's been able to secure 100-plus tackles over the past four seasons, he leaves a ton to be desired in coverage. It'll be interesting to see if the Packers want to bring him back, and some of that will fall on whether Gannon believes he can get him to play at another level.
And if he brings Rallis over to Titletown, that may help dictate their decision. Nonetheless, the Packers have a void at LB coach, and Rallis is a name that fans should get familiar with. He has a history with Gannon, one where he helped their LBs play at a high level. And Green Bay should consider bringing him over.