Last year, the Green Bay Packers quietly brought in Robert Saleh… Yes, that same defensive maestro who bullied Matt LaFleur in the 49ers‘ heyday! Now, he will give LaFleur’s offense a decoder ring from a defensive lens, showing them how defenses think, disguise, and break rhythm. Saleh’s “fluid” consultant gig wasn’t about reworking the D-side. It was LaFleur saying, “Let’s get a defense-minded brain to help attack even harder.” That mid-season move sparked buzz and noticeable gaps-shrinking on offense.

Fast forward to 2025: the Packers aren’t settling for last year’s tweak. They’ve just brought in another heavy hitter to shake things up on… Defense. This time, it’s Nathaniel Hackett, who’s returning to Green Bay and will be assisting with the defense, a similar way Saleh did last season. Hackett has worked with the Packers for three years under LaFleur as their offensive coordinator, when Aaron Rodgers was still in Green Bay.

The Green Bay team thrived under the LaFleur-Hackett combination during that time, particularly when they led the league in scoring in the 2020 season. Rodgers developed a close relationship with his former offensive coordinator and went on to snag back-to-back MVPs in the 2021 and 2021 seasons. But let’s not pretend Hackett was the only magic in the room. LaFleur’s offensive genius and Davante Adams cooking defenders like breakfast probably had a little more to do with it.

But still, the Packers‘ passing game was effective under Hackett’s offensive coordination, even though he didn’t even call plays. The son of long-time NFL and college coach Paul Hackett, Nathaniel Hackett, joined the Broncos in 2022 as their head coach after serving three years as the Packers’ OC.

Fast forward to now, and he’s back in Green Bay with LaFleur still leading the charge and Jordan Love lining up under the center. He’s not calling plays this time. But lending a hand on the defensive side of things. Meanwhile, the Packers signed a couple of rookies as they kick off their training camp.

Matt LaFleur and Co. locked in a pair of rookies with fresh contracts

Starting their training camp, the Packers were supposed to make some roster moves for the 2025 season, and rightfully so. With the regular season inching closer, the Packers’ general manager, Brian Gutekunst, announced Tuesday that they’ve signed rookie wide receiver Will Sheppard and kicker Mark McNamee. Sheppard, who stands at 6’3” and weighs nearly 200 pounds, joined the Packers as an undrafted free agent.

A Colorado Buffaloes product, the rookie wideout showed up in 55 games across four seasons in his collegiate career (at Vanderbilt from 2020-23 and at Colorado in 2024). The guy had 200 receptions for 2,688 yards (13.4 avg.) and 27 touchdowns. Back in 2022, he was busy stuffing the stat sheet. 60 catches. 776 yards. And nine trips to the end zone. The breakout year didn’t go unnoticed either. He earned second-team All-SEC from the AP and a third-team nod from Phil Steele.

Meanwhile, McNamee (6-4, 208), a rookie as well, joined the Packers as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program. An Ireland native, McNamee spent last month in the Canadian Football League with the BC Lions. Before arriving in the NFL, the rookie kicker played goalkeeper for Ballyboden St Endas in Dublin, Ireland. That said, with Sheppard looking to prove he’s more than just a camp body and McNamee bringing a whole different kind of foot to football… The Packers are heading toward the 2025 season.