Packers coach Mike McCarthy has been under fire in Green Bay for his team's struggles, but team and league sources anticipate any pending offseason changes to occur elsewhere in the organization. The Packers are traditionally one of the most loyal and conservative franchises, and while media attention has focused on coaching, the team's roster and talent level have slipped as well, which is the subject of internal review.
There are concerns about the output from recent drafts and numerous position groups that are not as strong as they once were, so long-time general manager Ted Thompson is not immune to review. How long Thompson, 63, wants to continue doing this job already was the source of conjecture, and should the team not pull out of its tailspin, some team sources believe the club's board of directors could oversee front-office changes.
While McCarthy is quite likely safe, there are concerns about his staff and how loyal he tends to be. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers is under particular pressure to keep his job for 2017, sources said, and some internally believe the offensive staff has also become bogged down and requires an influx of new assistants.
While much has been made of the relationship between McCarthy and star quarterback Aaron Rodgers, team sources reiterated the mutual respect that anchors them and did not foresee a scenario where the passer would support a coaching change. The Packers have reached the playoffs seven straight years and have been an annual contender under McCarthy and Thompson, which is not lost on the team's executives. But the string of recent troubling defeats has caused introspection throughout the organization.
The Packers' board of directors has changed in recent years as well, adding uncertainty, with some newer members unfamiliar with anything close to crisis given the prolonged success of this regime. Packers director of football operations Eliot Wolf, son of Hall of Fame former Packers exec Ron Wolf, will pursue outside options as well this offseason, sources said, as his star has been on the rise and he is someone other franchises have been interested in interviewing in the past.
