Green Bay Packers continue to make moves with their coaching staff. Green Bay added a dynamic outside linebackers coach on Friday evening adding Mike Smith from the Kansas City Chiefs. Smith doesn’t have ties to the Packers, but he has ties with defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. Smith and Pettine are best friends. Before you wonder if this is a buddy system hire, Smith is an awesome coach. He moved through the ranks and got the most out of the outside linebackers he’s coached. Matt LaFleur continues to build a great coaching staff.

Smith made his waves as a coach with Kansas City for the last three years. Smith coached some great EDGE rushers up in Kansas City like Justin Houston and played a role in getting the most out of Dee Ford who had his best season of his career in 2018. Packers desperately needed help with their pass rush. Even though Green Bay had a high number of sacks, the pass rush did not seem to ever come with Green Bay only rushing four players. Adding a coach like Smith should help get more out of pass rush. It will be interesting to see if this influences the Packers on what to do in the draft and free agency. Ford is available as well as do you bring Clay Matthews back and keep Nick Perry in hopes that Smith might take them to another level?

News came out the other day that Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst and chairman Mark Murphy are hands off when it comes to the coaching hires for the Packers, and they’re ‘letting LaFleur build his staff.’ What I love is LaFleur is obviously taking input from Pettine. He asked the defensive coordinator ‘Who is available that could make this staff better?’ Pettine likely gave some names, and Smith was among them. LaFleur also made the right move by snatching Smith prior to Steve Spagnuolo getting to Kansas City.

Charlie.