Former Packers DC Dom Capers joining Vikings staff

Dom Capers is headed to the Green Bay Packers’ division rivals.

Longtime Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers will now be trying to help the Minnesota Vikings defeat his former team.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Capers has been hired by the Vikings as a senior defensive assistant.

Capers was the Packers’ defensive coordinator from 2009 to 2017. He was the coordinator in 2010 as Green Bay’s defense ranked No. 5 overall and No. 2 in points allowed. The defense played a major role that season as the Packers won the Super Bowl.

The defense struggled for many years following this. In 2011, the Packers allowed a league-worst 411.6 yards per game. But then-head coach Mike McCarthy stuck by Capers, and the defense had plenty of ups and downs over the following seasons.

Eventually, McCarthy decided to move on from Capers following the 2017 season.

Green Bay’s defense struggled in 2016, finishing with the NFL’s second-worst pass defense in the regular season. Then, in the NFC Championship Game, the defense allowed Matt Ryan to throw for 392 yards and four touchdowns, with 180 of those yards and two touchdowns going to Julio Jones. Giving up 44 points and only stopping Atlanta from scoring on two drives in the entire game, the defense had hit rock bottom.

While it was time to move on from Capers following the 2017 season, a year after the NFC Championship loss, it wasn’t all on him. A major reason for the improvements on defense the past couple of seasons has been the talent added at edge rusher and in the secondary.

Bringing in Capers isn’t a bad move by the Vikings. He has years of experience, which is valuable as a defensive assistant. He’s been coaching since 1972 and entered the NFL in 1986.

After spending almost a decade in Green Bay, Capers will now be part of the Vikings’ staff trying to slow down Aaron Rodgers.