It took longer than expected, but Green Bay Packers fans eventually got their wish.
The Packers didn't fire special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia. They had planned to retain him, but he took the decision out of their hands by unexpectedly resigning over a month after the team's playoff exit.
Matt LaFleur has now found his replacement. According to ESPN's Rob Demovsky, the Packers are hiring Cam Achord as their new special teams coordinator. Achord is an experienced coach, having previously held the same role under Bill Belichick in New England. It leaves general manager Brian Gutekunst with no excuses.
The Green Bay Packers' special teams blame can no longer go on the coaching
To be fair, the Packers didn't blame Bisaccia for the special teams failures. It was his choice to leave. The exact reason why he resigned is unclear, but the fact remains the same. It's over to Gutekunst to oversee improvements on special teams.
The Packers bucked their trend of hiring inexperienced special teams coordinators when they brought in Bisaccia, but the unit still cost them when it mattered most. Brandon McManus' missed kicks cost Green Bay seven points in the wild-card loss to Chicago. Those nightmarish moments haunted the Packers all season, including a blocked PAT returned for two points in Dallas, and a botched onside kick recovery against the Bears in Week 16.
In Achord, the Packers have landed another highly experienced coach.
He spent four seasons as the Patriots' special teams coordinator, and in 2020, his unit finished No. 1 in Rick Gosselin's special teams rankings.
If Gutekunst provides the tools, Achord has proven he can create special teams magic. The Packers don't need No. 1 in the league. They just need competent special teams that don't self-implode during the playoffs.
The pressure is on Gutekunst, who has overlooked this side of the ball for far too long.
Sure, he added a few core special teams players for Bisaccia, like Zayne Anderson, Keisean Nixon (he was initially signed to play special teams), and, more recently, Nick Niemann. But there's still far more work to be done. Gutekunst didn't give Bisaccia an experienced returner this past season, which is why Romeo Doubs returned a team-high 15 punts.
The Packers had Mecole Hardman on the preseason roster, but he didn't make the 53. Gutekunst never found a replacement at returner. It just wasn't a priority for this team.
Bisaccia didn't fix the problem, but he also didn't create it. Special teams had haunted the Packers long before his arrival, and unless Gutekunst adds talent this offseason, the issues will continue long after Bisaccia's departure.
Achord is a smart hire. He brings plenty of experience and knows what it takes to turn special teams into an advantage. But he can only work with the players Gutekunst provides.
The pressure is on the Packers' GM, as there is no longer anyone else to blame.