Matt LaFleur contract situation gains new layers after an intriguing Adam Schefter update reveals real complexities for the Packers
Parties are negotiating an extension, but that doesn’t mean something will get done.
The Green Bay Packers and head coach Matt LaFleur want to find a deal. But it’s a contract extension negotiation full of complexities, considering that he is entering the final year of the deal he signed back in 2022.
On ESPN Milwaukee, NFL insider Adam Schefter talked about the negotiations and details that might affect how the situation will end up.
“There’s no deal right now, and it’s a negotiation,” Schefter said. “When there’s a negotiation and there’s no deal, there could be a breakthrough at any moment. I think both sides would like to make that happen, but it’s now 7:37 a.m. (CT) on Wednesday, and they’ve been trying to do this for a little while and still have not gotten it figured out. The longer it lingers, the more you wonder where it’s going to go and how it’s going to result. The way I would interpret it right now is that it’s up in the air.”
It’s up in the air
Matt LaFleur initially signed with the Packers in 2019 for $5 million a year. He got a bump to the $8 million-$9 million range in his first extension four years ago, but now the head coaching market is more inflated.
These contracts for coaches are fully guaranteed, so presumably the length is a potential point of contention — LaFleur wants more security, while the Packers want to maintain flexibility after how things went down this season. However, Schefter doesn’t believe there’s a specific timeline to get a deal done or to move on.
“I do believe there’s a time limit, absolutely, because there are all these openings,” Schefter added. “I firmly believe most places would have a high level of interest in Matt LaFleur. Now you’re saying the Packers part ways. I don’t know whether they wouldn’t hold him up and say, ‘OK, Team X, you want him, give us a third-round pick or a second-round pick.’
Schefter mentioned some previous trades for coaches as a parameter. Back in 1999, the Packers sent Mike Holmgren to the Seattle Seahawks for a second-round pick. He didn’t mention, though, that the New Orleans Saints got a first and a Day 2 swap from the Denver Broncos for Sean Payton two years ago.
For now, the market still has intriguing options, like John Harbaugh (who visited the New York Giants) and Kevin Stefanski. But soon, the Packers and LaFleur will want a final decision — and getting this decided quickly is important for all parties.
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