Will he stay or will he go?
The most likely scenario for Matt LaFleur still appears to be signing a new deal with the Green Bay Packers, but there's undoubtedly uncertainty over that. The longer it goes, the more confusing and frustrating it becomes for Packers fans.
Appearing on Wilde & Tausch on ESPN Milwaukee, Packers insider Rob Demovsky spoke about the different scenarios that remain on the table. That includes an extension, the two sides mutually parting ways, the Packers firing LaFleur, and, perhaps most notably, the possibility of them trading him.
"I was told going into the game and coming out of the game that all those possibilites were still on the table, and it would come down to a negotiation," said Demovsky. "Right now, since the negotiation apparently is not finished, I would say it's safe to say that all those possibilites are still on the table."
"If you're (GM Brian Gutekunst) and you're (Packers president Ed Policy), and you don't have a first-round pick in 2026 or 2027, adding another high pick might be attractive to you."
Trading Matt LaFleur makes far more sense for the Packers than firing him
Head coach trades are rare, and for good reason, but this is the kind of unique scenario where it could work.
If the Packers and LaFleur can't agree to terms on an extension, whether due to the salary, years on the contract, or any other holdup, it could work in both sides' favor to look elsewhere. Even with the New York Giants expected to land John Harbaugh, there are still eight head coach jobs available around the NFL.
RELATED: It's the end of Matt LaFleur's Packers as we know them
LaFleur would undoubtedly become the most sought-after candidate if he became available, and that's where it would get interesting.
If all eight teams, or even just most of them, pursued LaFleur, he would have an opportunity to pick his preferred landing spot. From there, the Packers could receive compensation rather than losing him for nothing.
The Miami Dolphins would make sense as a potential trade destination. They just hired Jon-Eric Sullivan, who was Brian Gutekunst's right-hand man in Green Bay, as their new general manager. Sullivan has built a reputation as an outstanding scout, and he will likely take many of the Packers' roster-building philosophies to Miami.
He already has a good relationship with LaFleur, and the two could usher in a new era for the Dolphins, likely one without quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated believes that Green Bay could realistically ask for a top-60 pick in exchange for LaFleur.
And, who knows? If multiple teams are interested, perhaps the Packers could set their asking price at a first-rounder. When the Denver Broncos traded for Sean Payton, it cost them a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 second-round pick, with the New Orleans Saints sending a 2024 third-round choice the other way.
In 1999, Green Bay received a second-round pick from the Seattle Seahawks for Mike Holmgren.
Along with the Dolphins, the Atlanta Falcons would be a potential landing spot. LaFleur was Matt Ryan's quarterback coach in Atlanta during their Super Bowl run in 2016, and the Falcons just hired Ryan as their new President of Football.
A trade still seems like a long shot. It would require the Packers and LaFleur deciding to part ways and LaFleur being able to negotiate a contract with another team and the Packers negotiating draft-pick compensation with that team and Green Bay lining up a suitable replacement for LaFleur. That's a lot of moving parts to fall into place.
For now, all we know is that the Packers and LaFleur are negotiating, but as Demovsky notes, everything is likely still very much on the table.