Packers: 3 replacements for DC Mike Pettine after NFC Championship defeat

It was painfully obvious that the Green Bay Packers need to find a new defensive coordinator after their NFC Championship Game loss. Here are three options to replace him.

This was the Green Bay Packers‘ best chance at reaching the Super Bowl for the first time since 2010. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was playing at an MVP level, the once lackluster receiving corps produced at high levels and the running game was fluid. But the one thing that held them back, much like last year, was the defense.

The Packers lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game by the score of 31-26. Quarterback Tom Brady had his way with Green Bay’s defense, specifically bullying cornerback Kevin King throughout.

The Packers brought back defensive coordinator Mike Pettine for this season, even after they were destroyed by the San Francisco 49ers in last year’s NFC Championship Game. In that contest, the 49ers rushed for 285 yards and four touchdowns against Green Bay. And here we are one year removed, where Pettine’s defense cost the Packers a chance at playing in the big game.

There’s no mistaking that the Packers have to move on from Pettine and bring in a replacement to improve things. Here are three names the Packers should consider this offseason.

It’s simply mind-boggling that Kris Richard didn’t coach in the NFL this year. But the Packers have the chance to bring him in as their defensive coordinator for the 2021 season.

Richard made a name for himself during his time with the Seattle Seahawks. Originally a cornerbacks coach, Richard worked his way up the coaching ladder to defensive backs coach and eventually defensive coordinator by developing Seattle’s “Legion of Boom” secondary. That’s right, he coached up the likes of Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas into the dominant secondary that helped bring the Seahawks their first Lombardi Trophy in 2013.

The coach last worked with the Dallas Cowboys as their passing game coordinator for the 2018 and 2019 seasons. In 2019, the Cowboys secondary surrendered 223.5 passing yards per game (10th-fewest in NFL) and 21 passing touchdowns (eighth-fewest). Richard wasn’t retained heading into the 2020 league year after then-head coach Jason Garrett was replaced by Mike McCarthy.

Richard would inherit a Green Bay pass defense that was among the best in the league this regular-season. Through 16 games, the Packers surrendered an average of 221.2 passing yards per game (eighth-fewest) and 23 passing touchdowns (tied for ninth-fewest).

Hiring Richard would be a wise decision for the Packers.