In a surprising turn of events, former Syracuse coordinator Nathaniel Hackett has returned to the Green Bay Packers as an analyst for the 2025 training camp. Hackett’s return comes at a good time, as the Packers were recently able to get right tackle Zach Tom to sign a four-year contract extension, bringing stability to the team’s roster. Tom is seen as one of the top players at the Packers, and his new contract is said to be worth $88 million. It will run till 2029. He also joins the likes of Jordan Love, Kenny Clark, Rashan Gary, Xavier McKinney, Josh Jacobs, and Edgerrin Cooper, whose contracts run till 2027 or beyond.
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Hackett returns to the Packers in an advisory role for defense, a position that Robert Saleh held last season. His first stint with the team saw him work as the first offensive coordinator under Matt LaFleur between 2019 to 2021, building one of the top red-zone offenses in the league. Within that period, quarterback Aaron Rodgers won back-to-back MVP awards while the Packers led the NFL in scoring inside the 20-yard line. Although Hackett didn’t call plays in his first stint with the team, he played a crucial role in drawing up offensive strategies for the team.
Hackett eventually left the Packers for the Denver Broncos, where he was appointed head coach. His time as the Broncos’ head coach was very short as he lasted just 15 games, recording a 4-11 start. He joined the New York Jets shortly after, replacing Matt’s brother, Mike LaFleur, as offensive coordinator. In this position, he partnered once again with Aaron Rodgers, but the duo wasn’t able to achieve the success they had in the Packers. He was later relieved of his play-calling duties in the early stages of the 2024 NFL Season.
Although Hackett hasn’t had a good run in the last couple of years, the Packers’ coach, Matt LeFleur, has called Hackett to help new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley understand how modern offenses work. In this new role, Hackett can develop his coaching skills and also help the Packers climb back to the top.
Off the field, the Packers are trying to maintain a stable roster. Most of their top players are under contract till 2027 and beyond. With a stable roster, the team can focus on building long-term plans around these players. This also puts them in a position to benefit from the rising NFL salary cap.The NFL salary cap is tied to the league’s income, which means that the more money the NFL makes, the more teams can spend on players. In 2024, the NFL brought in a record revenue of $13.8 billion, and with more deals coming from TV deals, the league’s income is expected to continue rising. With this development, the Packers are in a position to take advantage of it.
