Packer Coaching Scramble Continues

gotarace27

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Coaches flee Packers
Roland goes to Saints; Broncos eyeing Slowik
By BOB McGINN

Posted: Jan. 26, 2005
Green Bay - The Green Bay Packers lost running backs coach Johnny Roland to the New Orleans Saints Wednesday and stand a good chance of losing deposed defensive coordinator Bob Slowik to the Denver Broncos next week.

Bob Slowik has reportedly talked with Denver coach Mike Shanahan about becoming the Broncos' secondary coach.

National Football League sources said Roland agreed to join Saints coach Jim Haslett's staff as running backs coach, a post left vacant following the firing of Dave Atkins shortly after the season.

Slowik told the Rocky Mountain News that he had discussed the Broncos' vacant secondary job with coach Mike Shanahan by telephone. It is likely that Slowik will interview with Shanahan in Denver within a week.

"That's a done deal," an NFL source close to the situation said.

If Slowik leaves, it would increase to four the number of departures from coach Mike Sherman's staff as he enters the final year on his contract. Sherman fired secondary coach Kurt Schottenheimer and didn't stand in the way when defensive line coach Jethro Franklin sought his release to take the same post at Southern California.

Meanwhile, other league sources said the Packers planned to hire Robert Nunn as defensive line coach and have decided to add former Miami Dolphins linebackers coach Bob Sanders to an undetermined position on new defensive coordinator Jim Bates' staff.

Nunn, 39, served as assistant defensive line coach and defensive quality control coach under Bates in Miami from 2000-'02. He left in '03 to become defensive line coach in Washington under Steve Spurrier.

After being fired along with the rest of Spurrier's staff, Nunn returned to Miami in '04 and worked as a volunteer assistant.

Sanders, 51, coached the Dolphins linebackers for the last four seasons but indications are that linebackers coach Mark Duffner will be returning. Either Sanders or Duffner could fit as coach of the defensive nickel package, a position that Bill Lewis filled for the Dolphins during Bates' five seasons.

"I'm sure Jim will have one of those," former Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt said.

It was in that position that Slowik began his NFL career in Dallas in 1992, when the Cowboys won the Super Bowl.

A league source said the Packers also had some interest in Tracy Rocker, the defensive line coach at Arkansas the past two seasons, for the same job on their staff. However, the same source said he understood Nunn was a much stronger candidate for the job than Rocker.

According to one NFL source, the Packers had discussions with former Cleveland Browns defensive line coach Andre Patterson about joining Sherman's staff as Franklin's replacement but that Patterson no longer was a candidate.

A source close to Roland said the 61-year-old assistant didn't like working for Sherman and was overjoyed about being able to leave. Assuming that Roland's contract with the Packers had at least one year remaining, Sherman might have had mutual sentiments and just let him go.

"Johnny felt good about that," the source said. "He hated working for Sherman. He thought it was meeting to meet to figure out when the next meeting was. He's out of there. He obviously got permission to talk to New Orleans, and once he did it was a done deal."

Another NFL source, however, said the Packers had reservations about Roland's work ethic.

Slowik and Shanahan were assistants together on coach Charley Pell's staff at Florida from 1980-'82. He interviewed with Shanahan in January 2001 for the coordinator's job that went to Ray Rhodes.

Sherman had given Slowik the opportunity to return as secondary coach, a job that he filled with distinction from 2000-'03. Moreover, Bates said he respected Slowik's ability and would welcome him.

"Bob's been running that defense that Jim's going to run since 1992 in Dallas," Wannstedt said Tuesday. "Nobody knows that defense better than Bob Slowik. If it would work out it'd be really good for the Green Bay Packers. Bob is one of the smartest guys I've ever been around, and I've been around a lot of good defensive coaches."

Wannstedt and Slowik were teammates at Baldwin High School in Pittsburgh when Wannstedt was a senior and Slowik was a sophomore.

Now head coach at the University of Pittsburgh, Wannstedt said he hadn't talked to Slowik since his demotion. Since Slowik had been assistant head coach from 2002-'03, Wannstedt theorized that if Sherman reinstated him to that position Slowik might be more apt to return.

"If Mike takes care of him that way, Bob might not care," Wannstedt said.

Several NFL sources estimated that Slowik made about $500,000 in 2004, or $100,000 less than Bates made in Miami. Slowik's contract in Green Bay runs through the '06 season.

The Redskins denied the Broncos permission to interview third down-safeties coach Steve Jackson for the secondary job. Shanahan did interview former Browns secondary coach Chuck Pagano.

As for Sanders, Wannstedt said, "Smart guy. Great guy. A-plus."


Many coaching moves around the Green Bay camp. I sure would like to see Slow-Wit go to the bronco's. It would give Mr. Bates complete control over the defense and give him the chance to fill the defensive staff with people he is comfortable with.
Man a guy has to wonder if the Packers are going to extend Shermans contract or not!!!
 

Zero2Cool

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He's gone!! Slowik is Broncos headache now. With me saying that, watch Denver have the best secondary next season.
 

yooperfan

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Hiring Roland was a mystery to me when they hired him. He is certainly no loss. Slowik may have been good for the secondary but if he does go that's no huge loss either.
The Packers are headed in the right direction to get back on the road.
Hopefully Brett will stay now. Perhaps he hade some input into Slowiks demise.
 

Bettie_Page

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Roland is easy to replace since he didn't want to be here anyway. He hated Sherman and was counting the hours. It would be a natural to bring in Edgar Bennett as the running backs coach and if he doesn't want it then hand the ball to Vince Workman who is also already on staff as a weight room assistant.
:D
 

ArizonaPackerFan

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I'm glad Slowik is gone. Even if he was a good DB coach once, I think the players lost so much respect for him that he wouldn't be able to command their respect anymore in any capacity with the Packers. So I was glad to see him go. It will be interesting to see if they promote Washington.

The Roland comments are surprising to me though. He was supposed to be highly regarded coaching guys like Walter Payton and some other pretty good backs. I wonder what the whole story is there with his complaints?
 

monkeyracer43

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I'm kinda exited to get some knew heads in the coaching staff next year, especially on defense. When you have the 25th best D on the field, it's time for a shake-up.

Now if I read tomorrow that Rossley was going to get the axe, I would be very happy.
 

eastcoastpacker

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Rossley is going no were.The Saints were interested in hm,but Rossley said he is going to stay with the Packers. (I don't know why the saints would want him?) :loser:
 

arrowgargantuan

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eastcoastpacker said:
Rossley is going no were.The Saints were interested in hm,but Rossley said he is going to stay with the Packers. (I don't know why the saints would want him?) :loser:

because they're the saint's!

seriously, i think haslet might be one of the worst coaches that still has a job. he sucks in all facets...even in his press conferences he looks like he lost control a long time ago.
 

leopardmech

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Bettie_Page said:
It would be a natural to bring in Edgar Bennett as the running backs coach

Someone before said they thought Bettie Page was Mike Sherman....Is there anything you want to share with us Bettie because you nailed that one on the head.

Later
Leopardmech
 

IPBprez

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Still trying to take it all in - as far as Roland is concerned, the readback on him ain't all that bad - the players had good things to say about him, like Ray Sherman.... 'course, replacing him with a SuperBowl winner is a nice trade-off...

I laid some notes to the article as it was posted on MY web site... you guys might want trapse over there and take a read...
IndyPackerBackers.com ( for the newbies, ya know)

monkeyracer43 said:
Now if I read tomorrow that Rossley was going to get the axe, I would be very happy.
You been readin' my mind?
 

ArizonaPackerFan

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I think the Packers should hire Sterlin Sharpe as recievers coach. I watch him on the NFL channel, and he knows everything. He even says so. :D

*Note* - Tongue is firmly in cheek while posting this.
 

IPBprez

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AZ - there's an article already listed on Packers.com, from awhile back - one of my members (IPB site) searched and found it - IT WILL bring back some memories... BUT - I ALSO AGREE with its sentiment....

Lionel Washington
 

ArizonaPackerFan

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IPBprez said:
AZ - there's an article already listed on Packers.com, from awhile back - one of my members (IPB site) searched and found it - IT WILL bring back some memories... BUT - I ALSO AGREE with its sentiment....

Lionel Washington

Interesting article. I read elsewhere today that they are considering promoting Washington. My guess would be it depends on how Bates feels about Washington. I hope Bates brings along Sanders from Miami for the defense too.
 

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