The Green Bay Packers finally chose to move on from Joe Barry last season. The former defensive coordinator often mismanaged a unit that was stacked with talent but kept underperforming, especially in big moments.
It didn't take long before Jeff Hafley changed that. The former Boston College head coach turned the defense around overnight. And as high as the expectations were for his second season in charge of the team, he's meeting and exceeding them.
That's why, even though it's been just two weeks, the Packers' defensive coordinator is already a name to keep a close eye on ahead of the next head coach hiring cycle, according to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler.
Other Teams Are Keeping Tabs on Packers DC Jeff Hafley
“While the coaching carousel won’t spin for another three-plus months, some are making early cases to get on the ride. A group of up-and-coming defensive coordinators could get harder looks from teams filling head coaching roles. Jeff Hafley (Packers), Chris Shula (Rams) and Jesse Minter (Chargers) were not heavily featured in this past cycle, but don’t be shocked if that changes," Fowler reported.
Of course, adding an elite pass-rusher like Micah Parsons to the mix has done a lot to help his case, but he hasn't even played a full game yet. More than that, this defense was already trending in the right direction before the trade.
So far, the Packers have given up the third-fewest total yards per game (261.0), the second-fewest rushing yards (48.5), and the fourth-fewest points per game (15.5). That's despite going against two high-flying offenses like the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders.
They also rank second in sacks (8.0), and they have yet to allow a rushing touchdown through two weeks. That's a Super Bowl-caliber defense right there. That's what having the right guy calling the shots can do for a team.
Adopting a more aggressive approach has brought the best out of this personnel, and the team has thrived with the 4-3 base defense. Everybody's bought in, and once Parsons get settled in and up to speed, the sky is the limit for this defense.
Hafley has been day and night with Joe Barry, and losing him could be a lethal blow to this team's aspirations. Matt LaFleur has a young roster, and this team could be poised to compete for years to come. So, as much as the fans have to hope he does well, they will also selfishly hope that he's not that good in job interviews.