A cloud of uncertainty looms large over Green Bay, Wisconsin, with several departures possible. Jeff Hafley could soon become a head coach, a long list of starters could exit as free agents, and the Packers must make a decision on Matt LaFleur's future.
LaFleur is under fire after the Packers suffered a fourth-quarter meltdown at Soldier Field for the second time in four weeks. The first cost them the NFC North. This one ended their season.
Green Bay could fire LaFleur, who has one year remaining on his contract, but that's only one option. ESPN's Rob Demovsky raised another fascinating possibility: the Packers trading their head coach.
"There are other scenarios in which LaFleur could possibly not return," writes Demovsky. "(Packers president Ed Policy) could fire LaFleur, they could agree to a mutual parting of ways or the team could trade him. That last option would be a way for the Packers to recoup a first-round pick after they traded their No. 1 choice this year and next year to the Cowboys in the Parsons trade."
Potential Matt LaFleur-to-Dolphins trade that could make sense for both sides
The Miami Dolphins would make a ton of sense as a landing spot for LaFleur. In terms of compensation, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports believes a deal would likely net a first- or second-round pick. Jones also notes that an NFC exec told him it would be "asinine" for the Packers to fire LaFleur rather than finding a trade partner.
Head coach trades are incredibly rare. The most recent saw the Denver Broncos send a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 second-round choice to the New Orleans Saints for Sean Payton and a 2024 third-round pick.
The key difference is that Payton had retired from football and missed a year of coaching. New Orleans had already moved on, but the team held the rights to the final two years of his contract.
READ MORE: Jordan Love just learned the harsh Packers lesson Aaron Rodgers already knew
A lot of pieces would need to fall into place, but that's why a Packers-Dolphins deal would potentially make sense. Let's break it down.
Connect the dots, and there's good reason to see why it would make sense for all three sides.
If Green Bay fires LaFleur, Miami would have to compete with multiple teams for his signature. Making a trade would allow the Dolphins to jump the line. For LaFleur, he would reunite with new Dolphins GM Jon-Eric Sullivan, whom he knows well from their time together in Green Bay. Sullivan spent over two decades as a Packers executive, including the past four as the vice president of player personnel.
Last week, the Dolphins hired Sullivan to replace longtime general manager Chris Grier.
LaFleur would replace Mike McDaniel and get an opportunity to start a new project alongside Sullivan. That could mean trying to rebuild Tua Tagovailoa's career, or even moving in a new direction at quarterback.
If the Packers want to move on from LaFleur, finding a way to land a first-round pick would be the dream move. He would undoubtedly become the top head coach candidate from the second he becomes available, which makes a trade a possibility.
LaFleur immediately walks into another head-coaching job and gets to lead an exciting new project with a general manager he knows and trusts. The Dolphins land a huge upgrade at head coach. The Packers make a fresh start and recoup a first-round pick, something they currently lack.
If Green Bay's future no longer includes LaFleur, this would be the best-case scenario. And while head coach trades are rare, it's not completely out of the question, given the circumstances.