3 strengths and 2 weaknesses of Matt LaFleur heading into 2023
- Starting from scratch at QB
- NFC North is wide open
- Plenty of time to get Packers back on track
No active NFL head coach has a better-winning percentage than Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. Believe it or not, LaFleur has been one of the most successful head coaches in the NFL since he became one back in 2019, but that certainly hasn't prevented him from coming under his share of scrutiny.
LaFleur is a branch of the Kubiak/Shanahan coaching tree, a tree loaded with branch after branch of fruitful offensive coaches through the years. LaFleur's first NFL job was with the Houston Texans in 2008 as an offensive assistant. He joined Mike Shanahan's staff in Washington in 2010 and Kyle Shanahan's staff in Atlanta in 2015.
After spending one year each under Sean McVay and Mike Vrabel, LaFleur finally got a shot of his own from the Green Bay Packers. Obviously, things have gone relatively well. The Packers have not won a Super Bowl under LaFleur, but they have obviously won a lot and accomplished a lot. LaFleur doesn't have the highest winning percentage among active coaches for no reason.
But going into 2023, expectations and pressure will be vastly different. LaFleur no longer has Aaron Rodgers under center and that will no longer be part of the narrative surrounding him as a coach. What are his top strengths and weaknesses going into 2023? Let's take a look.
3 strengths, 2 weaknesses for Matt LaFleur in 2023
Matt LaFleur strength: Starting from scratch
Although beauty is in the eye of the beholder on this one, I think it's very beneficial for Matt LaFleur to be basically starting from scratch. The Packers seemed to be somewhat of a unified front against Aaron Rodgers if you want to put it that way. They were obviously willing to work with him, maybe even wanted to work with him, but back in 2020, LaFleur and GM Brian Gutekunst made this bed together.
The Packers drafted Jordan Love in 2020 and it's going to take a monumental collapse from Love to really end up being a bad thing for LaFleur. In reality, he's likely bought himself at least two more seasons as head coach of the Green Bay Packers while Love gets his audition. The Packers understand that Love was drafted by this regime to play in LaFleur's offense. You see the way the team has supported the Love pick in the last couple of years by investing higher draft capital in offensive skill players, specifically at receiver and tight end.
LaFleur, we assume, is going to. get the opportunity to see these changes through. He's presumably going to get the opportunity to develop this, go through the necessary growing pains, and the expectations being heaped on him are no longer going to be immediately to win the Super Bowl. One of LaFleur's great strengths right now is the fact that the Packers are starting over at QB, and he's the one they want to see that change through.