Drayton Fired

[Joemailman]

Tom Silverstein
@TomSilverstein

Maurice Drayton will not return as #Packers special teams coordinator, a source said. Story to come shortly.

[Fosco33]

Beat me to it

[Joemailman]

This had to happen, but it's not all that has to happen. Packers have undervalued the ST unit for a long time.



Tom Silverstein
@TomSilverstein

#Packers have had a long history of not providing special teams the resources it needs to succeed. This goes back all the way to the Mike Holmgren era, although Ron Wolf was the one GM who made sure he always had a quality punter, long-snapper, returner and kicker.

[George Cumby]

It's almost like it's part of the culture.

[texaspackerbacker]

Overdue, but LaFleur probably wasn't in a hurry waiting to see who might be available from other teams.

What kind of magic is required to be an outstanding ST coach anyway? - a serious question. Maybe somebody who knows what it takes for a kicker and punter, who is familiar with snap and hold problems, somebody who has an up close and personal view of kick returns and is not afraid to throw his body in to save a TD. I nominate Mason Crosby for ST coach. Let him retire, but maybe use a practice squad for him just in case we need an emergency kicker or punter. If there's anybody who knows the problems the Packers have, it's him.

Oh yeah, and Rodgers likes him too hahahahaha.

[Joemailman]

It's not necessarily going to be easy for the Packers to hire the guy they want. I think potential candidates may look at the Packers situation and question whether they want to walk into that mess. MLF will need to make a commitment to giving the new ST coach the tools (players, practice time) needed to have a chance to be successful.

[Fritz]

It's not necessarily going to be easy for the Packers to hire the guy they want. I think potential candidates may look at the Packers situation and question whether they want to walk into that mess. MLF will need to make a commitment to giving the new ST coach the tools (players, practice time) needed to have a chance to be successful.

MLF better to talk to the GM about not giving end-of-the-roster spots to guys who can't play ST.

Maybe Rodgers will start to see the logic of that.

[MadScientist]

Good riddance. Now on to the next incompetent ST coach.

[Mayhem]

Overdue, but LaFleur probably wasn't in a hurry waiting to see who might be available from other teams.

What kind of magic is required to be an outstanding ST coach anyway? - a serious question. Maybe somebody who knows what it takes for a kicker and punter, who is familiar with snap and hold problems, somebody who has an up close and personal view of kick returns and is not afraid to throw his body in to save a TD. I nominate Mason Crosby for ST coach. Let him retire, but maybe use a practice squad for him just in case we need an emergency kicker or punter. If there's anybody who knows the problems the Packers have, it's him.

Oh yeah, and Rodgers likes him too hahahahaha. Former Super Bowl MVP Desmond Howard?

[HarveyWallbangers]

It's not necessarily going to be easy for the Packers to hire the guy they want. I think potential candidates may look at the Packers situation and question whether they want to walk into that mess. MLF will need to make a commitment to giving the new ST coach the tools (players, practice time) needed to have a chance to be successful.

On the other hand, expectations would be low—and it wouldn’t take much to make the new coach look good.

[Joemailman]

Andy Herman
@AndyHermanNFL

One name that could make sense for the Packers' ST coordinator - Harbaugh. Not John or Jim, but Jay Harbaugh, Michigan's ST coach who coached one of the best ST's in 2021. He EASILY could go with Jim to Minnesota, in which case GB could go after Ryan Ficken, Minnesota's ST coach.

[Fosco33]

There’s a history of good ST coaches making good head coaches.

Agree - it’s not all about the coaching.

They tweaked LS, holder for an aging Mason.
No true KR specialist depth - started w/ a rookie who underwhelmed and then couldn’t get past injury situation.

[Joemailman]

This all happened in 1 game vs The Bears. Kind of incredible.


• Allowing a 97-yard punt-return touchdown
• Allowing a 34-yard punt return
• Allowing a 42-yard kick return
• Allowing a 40-yard kick return
• Kicking the ball out of bounds
• Fielding a kickoff that was headed out of bounds and carrying it out of bounds instead, causing the offense to start at its own 5-yard line
• Having a punt bounce off a player’s face mask with nobody around him (which was bailed out by a penalty on the Bears’ Kindle Vildor for running out of bounds on his own)
• Shanking a punt 22 yards out of bounds from the Bears’ 49-yard line to their 27
• Muffing an onside kick recovery and the Bears recovering

[RashanGary]

This all happened in 1 game vs The Bears. Kind of incredible.

I think they’re is going to be a new emphasis on special teams. More starters playing on ST units, more roster decisions being made for STs, and a better coach.

When I think about 2022 and how we can be better, special teams comes to mind. We can have a better OL, better secondary with Stokes and Jaire, and better special teams.

[Freak Out]

This all happened in 1 game vs The Bears. Kind of incredible.

BRUTAL!

[Joemailman]

BRUTAL!

That's a bad season for some teams.

[Freak Out]

Right..? Winning so many games really covered STs asses all season long. It cost them in the end. Such a waste.

[texaspackerbacker]

I still want to know, WHAT makes a good ST coach compared to a bad one? Results, sure, but where does bad luck and shaky personnel end and bad coaching begin? And what can a good coach do to overcome that?

[Fosco33]

I still want to know, WHAT makes a good ST coach compared to a bad one? Results, sure, but where does bad luck and shaky personnel end and bad coaching begin? And what can a good coach do to overcome that?

Same as any other coach.

Teaching technique, discipline. Motivation. Putting best players in right spots. Advocating for personnel. Adjustments (to injury, etc). Demanding excellence and accountability

https://www.the33rdteam.com/darren-rizzi-special-teams-coordinators/

[Fritz]

Same as any other coach.

Teaching technique, discipline. Motivation. Putting best players in right spots. Advocating for personnel. Adjustments (to injury, etc). Demanding excellence and accountability

https://www.the33rdteam.com/darren-rizzi-special-teams-coordinators/

There is an organizational problem, for sure, with not getting the best coaches or not shaping the roster for special teams. But I think the latter was more true this season than in seasons past - activating Whitney and Z, getting rid of Viacom for the playoff game. Cobb over a young guy who could contribute. And I wonder too though if they didn't have enough ST vets to be okay - Burks, St. Brown, Summers.

Can't any ST group at least not get punts and field goals blocked??

I am glad Drayton is gone. Now hire someone who has a track record and see if it's really on the roster decisions, as is being increasingly suggested.

[texaspackerbacker]

I'm not defending Drayton, and I'm glad he's gone too, but it really seems to me that a lot of the crap that happened is either freak events i.e. bad luck or else shoddy personnel. And it seems doubtful a better coach could make a difference in that.

[MadScientist]

I'm not defending Drayton, and I'm glad he's gone too, but it really seems to me that a lot of the crap that happened is either freak events i.e. bad luck or else shoddy personnel. And it seems doubtful a better coach could make a difference in that.

Coaching can make a big difference in:
Making sure the right number of players are on the field.
Lane discipline
Being lined up properly to be in position to block.
Knowing what exactly to do to give the best chance to succeed on a play.
Not running the ball out of the end zone (especially if the offense needs every second),
Not blowing up a guy who has just made a fair catch.

In other words, a coach can drill in the job to do consistently and and repeatedly until the players stop doing really stupid shit all the fucking time. This should be enough to get the teams close to middle of the pack. That would be light years ahead of this years steaming pile.

[texaspackerbacker]

Good Post.

[Sparkey]

https://twitter.com/TomSilverstein/status/1490009760074190854?t=4W1a22C5Jbk5gPe32wemKQ&s=19

[Joemailman]

https://twitter.com/TomSilverstein/status/1490009760074190854?t=4W1a22C5Jbk5gPe32wemKQ&s=19Silverstein has a good source or sources inside the Packers organization, so this likely isn't just speculation.

If MLF doesn't get Bisaccia or Judge, I think a darkhorse could be Phil Galiano. He has been Darren Rizzi's assistant at both Miami and New Orleans.

[Bretsky]

https://twitter.com/TomSilverstein/status/1490009760074190854?t=4W1a22C5Jbk5gPe32wemKQ&s=19




THIS WOUDL BE GREAT; and ABOUT TIME we hired somebody like this on ST

[Fosco33]

Make it happen

[Joemailman]

Tom Silverstein
@TomSilverstein

One thing the #Packers have going for them in the pursuit of Rich Bisaccia as ST coach is that Bisaccia is very tight with defensive coordinator Joe Barry, a source said. They worked together in TB and Barry is Rod Marinelli's son-in-law. Marinelli and Bisaccia are best friends.


So Bisaccia is best friends with Joe Barry's father-in-law. And Bisaccia and Barry coached to gather in Tampa Bay. Doesn't hurt I guess. :clap:

[RashanGary]

We should see improvement in 2022 on OL, Secondary and now special teams. We could get health luck too. There’s a chance we’re as good next year as we were this year.

[CaptainD]

Silverstein has a good source or sources inside the Packers organization, so this likely isn't just speculation.

If MLF doesn't get Bisaccia or Judge, I think a darkhorse could be Phil Galiano. He has been Darren Rizzi's assistant at both Miami and New Orleans.

" SOURCES" AKA his agent let it slip to Tom to drive the price up.....

[Fritz]

So Bisaccia is best friends with Joe Barry's father-in-law. And Bisaccia and Barry coached to gather in Tampa Bay. Doesn't hurt I guess. :clap:

Unless Joe steps out on his wife.

[Joemailman]

Green Bay Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur announced that Maurice Drayton will not return as special teams coordinator and John Dunn has been promoted to tight ends coach.

Drayton has coached in the NFL for six seasons, including the last four seasons on the special teams coaching staff for the Packers (assistant from 2018-20).

"We are grateful for all that Mo brought to our team the last several seasons," said LaFleur. "He is a great man who is loved by our players and coaches and contributed a lot to our success. We wish nothing but the best for Mo, Tonya and the rest of their family moving forward."

Might as well be nice about it.

Maybe the announcement being made now means they're close to a signing.

[Joemailman]

Tom Silverstein
@TomSilverstein

If #Packers don’t land Rich Bisaccia as ST coach, there is a veteran coordinator who may be available who is just as good. A source said that former #Ravens coach Jerry Rosburg is looking to get back in the NFL after retiring in ‘19. His units ranked top 5 in his final 7 years.