10 things to know from the Packers’ end-of-season press conferences

Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst met with the media for about an hour to greet the 2020 season.

The Packers lost a pre-Super Bowl game for the second straight season, losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship game. LaFleur and Gutekunst discussed the loss and the future ahead in Green Bay.

Here are 10 things to know from the Packers’ end-of-season press conferences:

1 Aaron Rodgers is the Packers’ QB in 2021, and possibly beyond?

AP Photo / Jeffrey Phelps

There is no longer any uncertainty as to who will be the Packers quarterback in 2021. It’s Aaron Rodgers, as LaFleur and Gutekunst emphatically stated on Monday. LaFleur has said Rodgers will “absolutely” be his “long-term” quarterback, while Gutekunst has repeatedly committed to Rodgers both for 2021 and into the future and said there was no no scenario in which he would trade it this offseason.

Read the full story here.

Gutekunst has said he has no regrets about writing Jordan Love, whom he called talented. The Packers remain committed to using the resources to acquire and develop players for the quarterback.

2 LaFleur takes the blame

LaFleur said a breakdown in communication between him and defensive coordinator Mike Pettine was the culprit for the Buccaneers’ touchdown before the end of the first half of the NFC title game, and he was fully blamed for not having rectified the situation before it ended in a game. score change.

“At the end of the day, all calls go through me,” LaFleur said. I don’t care who makes the call, it’s all my fault. At the end of the line. I am responsible for every playcall, attack, defense, special teams. Every call goes through me. If ever I’m not happy with a call, I have the option of doing something. That’s all I’m really going to say about it.

The inexplicable touchdown gave the Buccaneers a 21-10 halftime lead, and the Packers were ultimately down five points.

Read the full story here.

3 Maurice Drayton confirmed as coordinator of special teams

MARK HOFFMAN / MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL

LaFleur has confirmed that Maurice Drayton, Shawn Mennenga’s assistant for the past two years, will take over from the Packers’ special teams in 2021.

“He’s a great teacher, a great communicator,” said LaFleur. “So much energy and enthusiasm. I really think he can raise our level of play in this area. Guy who has been here for a while now. I had the opportunity to interview him during the first go-around, I was very impressed with him, I just didn’t know much about him. After being around him for two years now, I think it was only a matter of time before he got one of those other opportunities that come up outside of this building. I didn’t want to lose a guy like Mo Drayton.

Drayton has five seasons of experience as an assistant special teams coach, including the last three seasons at Green Bay.

Learn more about Drayton here.

4 Clear vision of the next defensive coordinator

LaFleur said the Packers have a “clear vision” of what the team is looking for the next defensive coordinator. While he didn’t reveal exactly what he was looking for, he spoke with several head coaches and defensive coordinators of potential candidates. Part of the process is finding the right ‘mindset’.

“You want people to gain every inch out there on the grass,” LaFleur said. “There is a certain mentality that you have to have and that you have to bring to everyday life.”

LaFleur said he would interview at least one internal candidate for the job.

We have highlighted 15 defensive coordinator candidates here.

5 LaFleur does not regret the late field goal

AP Photo / Jeffrey Phelps

When asked if he was going to throw the basket on fourth base at the end of the fourth quarter, LaFleur defended his controversial decision and explained in more detail the thought process behind the three-point rule of the 8-line. yards down eight points.

LaFleur said he spoke with the team’s analysis director before the game and decided that the two options weren’t much different in terms of the odds of winning overall. He knew the defense had to stop in either scenario. By kicking the basket, the Packers opened up a chance to win the game in regulation.

“No matter how you cut you had to stop defensively,” said LaFleur.

However, LaFleur said that not getting any yards on the previous three games was a big part of the decision.

“If I had to do it again, if it’s the 4th base from the 8-yard line, we kick the basket,” said LaFleur. “If it’s the 4th and the goal of the five, I think we have a different discussion. You have to play the percentages. “

He said he “probably should have communicated” the third and fourth down thought process to Aaron Rodgers ahead of time, but appreciated his quarterback’s desire to go for the fourth down.

6 assistant coach departures

AP Photo

LaFleur has confirmed that offensive quality control assistant Kevin Koger is heading to the Los Angeles Chargers to be the team’s new tight ends coach, while senior analyst Butch Barry will travel to San Francisco to being the 49ers’ offensive line assistant coach. Both are promotions.

“I wish I had something here for them,” said LaFleur. “But every time you see guys who have the opportunity to improve, both professionally but also to improve the lives of their families, that’s important to us. I certainly don’t want to prevent people from taking advantage of these opportunities. We will miss them, but we wish them good luck.

Despite leading the league in points, the Packers have lost just two low-level assistant coaches from LaFleur staff.

7 GM Packers ready for a unique year

Adam Wesley / USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Gutekunst said he believes he can get through a tough offseason without “draining” his team. The Packers have several important free agents to deal with to start the league’s new year and a tough financial situation with a declining salary cap due to loss of earnings from the pandemic.

“It’s a unique year, it’s very difficult, obviously we are not the only team to take up these challenges. I feel really comfortable, we’ve been working on this all year, preparing for what’s going to happen over the next three or four months, ”said Gutekunst.

He admitted that “tough decisions” are ahead and the team will have to let the players go and likely restructure deals for others, but he has worked with Russ Ball all year to put together a plan.

Gutekunst said he expected the cap to fall off. The floor is $ 175 million, although the team has not received an exact figure for 2021.

Asked about the restructuring of Aaron Rodgers’ contract, Gutekunst gave an answer.

8 Patient with Bakhtiari

AP Photo / Jeffrey Phelps, file

Gutekunst won’t put “anything beyond” left tackle David Bakhtiari on his return from an ACL injury, but the Packers will be patient as he recovers.

“It’s a big injury, obviously, and it’s so part of our long-term franchise, we’re not going to rush this one because it’s just too important for us. But I don’t put anything behind him, that’s for sure, ”said Gutekunst.

Bakhtiari was injured in training ahead of Week 17. He will be challenged to regain his playing conditions before Week 1 next season.

9 Borrowings for future years

AP Photo / Mike Roemer

Gutekunst said the Packers are willing – and likely bound – to restructure the deals and push money in the coming years to keep his roster together in 2021.

“We’re going to have to do that this year for sure,” said Gutekunst.

He confirmed the Packers are willing to take risks to win now, even if that means hurting future caps. Several veteran players, including Aaron Rodgers, could be candidates for reworked deals. Converting wages into signing bonuses spread over many years is a simple way to create an immediate cap.

“With the situation this year, I think most teams are going to spend money trying to keep their teams together, and we certainly won’t be any different,” said Gutekunst.

10 other nuggets

– LaFleur has said he would be willing to drop play calls if it improves the team as a whole, and he has full confidence in coordinator Nathaniel Hackett to call plays, but he has no plans to ‘drop calls.

– LaFleur congratulated wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling for coming through the adversity of his season and gaining confidence as a player. He said MVS can be led by any defensive back in the league and the team are now more confident in their abilities.

–Gutekunst has refuted a report that the Rams attempted to trade for Aaron Rodgers. “No truth to it.”

– Gutekunst has said he would like to see running back Aaron Jones return, but admitted there would be challenges getting one of his unrestricted free agents back in 2021.

– Gutekunst isn’t worried about the schematic style of the next defensive coordinator. He believes he has flexible and versatile players who can adapt to any pattern.

– Gutekunst has said he would like more production from the inside linebacker, but said he was excited about the potential of a few young players in the role.