According to NFL reporter Aaron Wilson, who normally wins the battle for posting the NFL’s transaction wire on a
daily basis, the Green Bay Packers approached Zach Orr, who previously served as the Baltimore Ravens’ inside
linebackers coach, about becoming their defensive coordinator. The position was subsequently filled by Jeff Hafley,
who had previously served as head coach at Boston College.
Orr is an intriguing defensive coordinator prospect because he is only 31 years old and has previous playing
experience. In 2016, he was awarded a Second-Team All-Pro, only weeks before retiring from the league due to a
spine ailment. After serving as an analyst for the Ravens, he quickly advanced from Jacksonville Jaguars’ inside
linebackers coach in 2021, his first full-time on-field coaching position, to Baltimore’s defensive coordinator in 2024.
If you’re following the flow of events, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network claimed that Orr was asked to interview with
the Packers on January 30th. Mike Macdonald, the Ravens’ defensive coordinator, was appointed as the Seattle
Seahawks’ head coach the next day. That also happened to be the day Hafley agreed to become Green Bay’s
coordinator.
So, assuming Wilson’s allegation is right, the Packers most likely offered Orr the job immediately following the
Ravens’ loss to the Chiefs on January 28th. Then Orr became the main candidate to succeed Macdonald in
Baltimore, prompting him to decline Green Bay’s offer. From there, LaFleur turned to Hafley.
Who knows if LaFleur or anyone else from the Packers will ever say whether Hafley was or was not their top pick for
defensive coordinator this offseason. It’s interesting that Orr was apparently the apple of LaFleur’s eye. Orr was only
asked to interview for the Packers job before accepting the Ravens offer. For perspective, Baltimore defensive backs
coach Dennard Wilson had four outside interviews with the Packers, Rams, Giants, and Titans, leading many to
conclude that he was the “hotter” Ravens defensive coordinator candidate during this coaching carousel.
