In his mailbag<\/a>, Sports Illustrated\u2019s Albert Breer believes LaFleur, like Holmgren more than a quarter-century ago, would fetch a second-round pick.<\/p>\nYears and dollars are at the forefront of any negotiation and certainly would be in this one, too, as LaFleur and his agent, Trace Armstrong, meet with new team President Ed Policy. Other potential obstacles are changes to the organizational structure, with LaFleur, general manager Brian Gutekunst and executive vice president Russ Ball currently on a level playing field under the organization flow chart instituted by former team President Mark Murphy.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst things first,\u201d Breer wrote of a potential trade, \u201cI think it\u2019d take an impasse in those talks to open up this discussion. We may get there.\u201d<\/p>\n
He noted the enormous contracts given to a pair of first-year coaches, with Chicago\u2019s Ben Johnson getting $13 million annually and Jacksonville\u2019s Liam Coen getting $12 million per season.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose two guys brought a combined zero games of experience as head coaches to the proverbial negotiating table,\u201d Breer wrote. \u201cLogically, that gives LaFleur, who\u2019s been to two NFC title games and is 16th all-time in winning percentage (.654), plenty of room to ask for between $15 million and $20 million.\u201d<\/p>\n
For what it\u2019s worth, one league source said LaFleur could be guilty of overvaluing his worth based on his limited playoff resume. Another pointed to the lack of proven coaches in this cycle in saying LaFleur would be in position to \u201cpick his job,\u201d especially with former Ravens coach John Harbaugh taking the Giants job and former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin reportedly wanting to sit out the upcoming season.<\/p>\n
The question is whether the Packers will dole out that hefty of a contract to a coach who has won one playoff game the past five seasons and has failed to win the NFC North since 2021.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course,\u201d LaFleur said a day after the wild-card loss when asked if he wants to remain with the Packers. \u201cI mean, this is one of one. I love this place. I love the people. As much as you guys drive me nuts sometimes, I love you guys. I love our players, the locker room, everybody in our organization.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a unique place. The community has been outstanding. I grew up in the Midwest, and it\u2019s got the same type of vibe that I grew up in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Unless you\u2019re from here, you don\u2019t understand how friendly everybody is. And it\u2019s nice, no matter who you are, you\u2019re walking down the street and people say hello to one another. And I\u2019ve lived in other places, so I think this is a unique place and it\u2019s a special place. My kids love it here, my family loves it here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Time\u2019s Running Short<\/p>\n
From one perspective, time is on the Packers\u2019 side, with only Harbaugh off the board. All the other candidates are available, with many of them being assistant coaches on playoff teams that have games this weekend. The Packers would be in a catch-up mode, with many of those coaches having had virtual interviews over the past several days.<\/p>\n
One exception is their popular defensive coordinator, Jeff Hafley, who was on the interview list of six teams.<\/p>\n
Moreover, the uncertainty could impact LaFleur\u2019s staff if he were to return. If Hafley becomes a coach elsewhere, they\u2019d have to replace him. Potentially their top in-house candidate, DeMarcus Covington, has met with the Cowboys and Jets about their coordinator openings.<\/p>\n
History of Coach Trades<\/p>\n
In 2023, the Saints traded Sean Payton and a third-round pick to the Broncos for first- and second-round choices. Payton, who led New Orleans to a Super Bowl championship in 2009, has the Broncos as the No. 1 seed in this year\u2019s AFC playoffs.<\/p>\n
In the mother of all coach trades, the Buccaneers in 2002 traded two first-round picks and two second-round picks to the Raiders for Jon Gruden. Gruden led the Bucs to a Super Bowl win \u2013 over the Raiders, no less \u2013 during his debut season.<\/p>\n
In 1999, Holmgren \u2013 the coach who led the Packers to Super Bowl glory \u2013 opted to leave Green Bay in order to become coach, general manager and executive vice president of the Seahawks. With Seattle, it took him until Year 7 to reach the playoffs, with that 2005 team being the only one that reached a Super Bowl.<\/p>\n
The Packers used the draft pick, No. 47 overall, on cornerback Fred Vinson. In a separate trade a year later, the Packers sent Vinson to Seattle in the deal that sent record-setting running back Ahman Green to Green Bay.<\/p>\n
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