WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Packers head coach Matt LaFleur spoke with reporters for the first time since the season ended at NFL owners’ meetings on Tuesday morning.
From Green Bay’s left tackle competition to his feelings toward new Bears head coach Ben Johnson, here are the seven most notable things LaFleur touched on in about 35 minutes with the media.
Kraft’s development
Tight end Tucker Kraft enjoyed somewhat of a breakout second season with 50 catches for 707 yards and seven touchdowns last year. He was particularly proficient after the catch, averaging a league-high among tight ends with 9.1 yards after catch per reception, according to TruMedia.
Even so, LaFleur wants Kraft to chill out after making a grab. Sort of.
“There is one thing that is evident when you watch. When Tuck gets the ball, usually good things happen,” LaFleur said. “He’s a powerful dude. He runs extremely hard. I love how he finishes. One thing I think he’s got to learn, just in terms of when he does finish, he doesn’t have to try to take somebody’s head off every time. He gets a little out of control at times. But I think that’s a balance, but the mentality is exactly what you want.”
Same face, new place?
There remains a possibility that Aaron Rodgers will play for the Vikings next season. How would his coach of four years in Green Bay feel about that?
“It would be a hell of a story, wouldn’t it?” LaFleur said. “There’s great players on every team, so if it works out, it works out. It’s not something that I’m going to sit there and constantly think about. Sure, you think about it the week of when you’re playing somebody. But if it works out, great for them.”
Matt LaFleur says the tush push isn’t a “great football play. It’s more of a rugby play.” Also has safety concerns.
His full answer on proposing the ban: pic.twitter.com/dBcLlWEW7N
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) April 1, 2025
Blindside battle
It sounds like there might actually be a true competition for Jordan Love’s left tackle.
Last season, 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan primarily played right guard despite being adamant he wanted to play left tackle in the NFL like he did at Arizona. Green Bay’s coaching staff felt right guard was the spot at which Morgan had the best chance to start. He split time there with Sean Rhyan before shoulder surgery prematurely ended his rookie season.
LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst both said at the owners’ meetings Morgan will get a shot at left tackle this year. It’s possible the Packers are looking to the future in this situation, too. They’re likely going to extend right tackle and 2022 fourth-round pick Zach Tom before his upcoming fourth season, but they might be able to save money in the near future by playing Morgan at left tackle on a rookie deal instead of extending 2022 seventh-rounder and incumbent left tackle Rasheed Walker.
“It’s going to be a great competition,” LaFleur said of Morgan. “Him and ‘Sheed are going to battle it out and hopefully push each other to be that much better.
“It’s something we feel like he can do,” LaFleur added of Morgan playing left tackle. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t do it, so we’ll let them battle it out and see where it goes.”
New coaches
The Packers have three new position coaches for the 2025 season. Quarterbacks coach Sean Mannion replaces the retired legend Tom Clements, linebackers coach Sean Duggan replaces new Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile and former Patriots defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington replaces the fired Jason Rebrovich as defensive line coach. LaFleur commented on each.
On Mannion, who was primarily a backup quarterback for his nine seasons as a player from 2015-2023, and played for LaFleur with the Rams in 2017 before joining the Packers staff as an assistant in the QB room last season: “Just going back a year ago and watching how prepared he was then, I think his experience, his ability to relate to that position, understanding what’s going through that guy’s mind. I think early on, even when I coached him in L.A., I thought, eventually, this guy’s going to be a coach. So he’s very, very proactive in his approach. He’s very well prepared and I think he can help prepare our quarterbacks the same way.”
On Duggan, who was an assistant in the linebackers room last season: “That’s a natural progression right there. Obviously, Camp is a guy that we all respect. I’m going to miss that fire, that intensity and collectively as a staff, we’re going to have to make up for that. Sean is a very smart guy, spent all his time in the linebacker room. Obviously, has a great familiarity with (defensive coordinator Jeff) Hafley. They worked together at Boston College. He was the D-coordinator.”
On firing Rebrovich and hiring Covington: “I just think every year there’s tough decisions that you’ve got to make as a leader. It’s part of the business, right? So we’ve got Demarcus Covington coming in. He’s a guy that I got a little exposure (to) when we played against New England a couple of years ago and practiced against them. I know he’s held in pretty high regard around the league and I really like the demeanor that he’s coming in with. He’s a technician, knows ball, knows a lot of ball. I think he’s well-versed. I think having that coordinator background is big, as well.”
Peacemaker
There were internal conversations LaFleur had after running back Josh Jacobs said on radio row at the Super Bowl that the Packers needed a proven No. 1 wide receiver. In the same answer, Jacobs praised the potential of Green Bay’s young wide receivers, but it didn’t seem like wideout Dontayvion Wicks was thrilled with Jacobs’ comments based on his response on X.
“It’s something we definitely talked about,” LaFleur said of the situation. “I think it’s an unintended consequence. I don’t think he was trying to disparage any of our other guys and I hope our guys don’t take it that way. Ideally, they’ll continue to work and push and one of those guys will be that guy, but I feel good about our receiver room.”
LaFleur, like Gutekunst, hopes someone already on the team grows into a No. 1 after a season in which nobody distinguished themselves as one.
“Obviously, it doesn’t help when you lose a guy like Christian Watson, and who knows when we’ll get him back? Just his physicality, his speed, he’s an intelligent player. You could move him from position to position within a game and not everybody can handle that, so that is a big loss for us, but those other guys are gonna have to pick up the slack and like I mentioned earlier, whether it’s coming from the tight end room or the running back room, whether it’s Josh or maybe a guy like MarShawn Lloyd … but that’s our job as coaches, is try to figure that out and put the best pieces out there to maximize that part of the game.”
Without Watson, though, do the Packers need to bring in a receiver with Watson-like speed who threatens to take the top off a defense?
“You always want that,” LaFleur said. “And I think we’ve got that. I think we’ve got guys that can do that, whether it’s Jayden Reed or Bo Melton. And I don’t want to limit Wicks and Rome (Doubs) and Malik (Heath) and those guys either. Those guys can certainly do some of that stuff. But I do think the more explosive players that you have, the chances are that you can (be more explosive), whether they’re running somebody out of there or they’re the primary read. It’s all dependent upon what coverages you’re getting, but yeah, you definitely want speed on the perimeter. And I think even utilizing our tight ends in some of those situations, whether it’s Luke Musgrave or Tucker, both those guys run really well. So it’s on us as a staff to kind of get creative and find different ways to open up some of those shots down the field in the pass game.”
Welcome to the rivalry
Former Lions offensive coordinator and new Bears head coach Ben Johnson took a jab at LaFleur in his introductory press conference, saying he enjoyed beating LaFleur twice a year when he was in Detroit.
While the playful shot makes it seem like Johnson and LaFleur have a friendship like LaFleur does with Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, Raheem Morris and other head coaches he’s worked with, that is not the case.
“I’m sure he’s playing to the fans a little bit,” LaFleur said. “It is what it is. I’m not gonna lose too much sleep over that.”
Despite Ben Johnson’s opening presser shot at him about “beating Matt LaFleur twice a year,” LaFleur does not go way back with Johnson like he does other head coaches.
“I’m sure he’s playing to the fans a little bit.” pic.twitter.com/C0vuSb4yih
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) April 1, 2025
Draft changes
The Packers have to bring their players back to Lambeau Field a week later than other teams, LaFleur said, because of complications with the NFL Draft setup in Green Bay this month.
Instead, they’ll conduct the first week of their voluntary offseason program virtually.
“And then we’ll hit the ground running,” LaFleur said. “We’ll probably cut it a week early, as well. I just think the totality of the NFL season is a long time, so I want to give those guys a chance to get away before we come back. But when we are together, we’re going to have to maximize that time and try to create the best offseason that we possibly can.”
(Photo of Rasheed Walker: Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)