The Mike LaFleur era for the Arizona Cardinals officially began on February 3. With the importance of assembling the right staff, the Cardinals just made their first major assistant hire.
NFL insider Tom Pelissero reports that the Cardinals are hiring Nathaniel Hackett as offensive coordinator. Hackett has spent 10 seasons in that role and the 2022 season as the Denver Broncos head coach.
https://x.com/TomPelissero/status/2019127250780844160
Hackett already has ties to the LaFleur brothers. He spent four seasons with the Green Bay Packers, the first three as the offensive coordinator. That brotherly connection likely contributed to this hire.
Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports first linked the Cardinals to Hackett.
Nathaniel Hackett’s Fit on the Cardinals Coaching Staff
Hackett brings over a decade of experience to LaFleur’s coaching staff. He served as an offensive coordinator or head coach in 11 of the past 13 seasons. The quarterbacks he’s mentored include E.J. Manuel, Aaron Rodgers, and Blake Bortles.
He served one season as a head coach with the Broncos, but he didn’t last a full season. While the on-field results didn’t go as planned for Hackett, it still offers a learning opportunity for the two coaches moving forward.
Even with head coaching responsibilities, LaFleur will still call plays on offense. He only has two seasons with that responsibility. That’s where a veteran coordinator like Hackett will help. He can help with preparation and game-day adjustments. And if necessary, take over play-calling in a pinch.
With Hackett now the offensive coordinator, it opens up the Packers as another organization to poach for coaches. The next question will be who will coach the most important position in the game, the quarterback.
How Hackett Could Influence the QB Position
The biggest name that will inevitably come up is Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers won back-to-back MVPs under Hackett with the Green Bay Packers. However, the future Hall of Famer is 42 and coming off the worst postseason performance of his career. The Cardinals may want to go in a different direction if they’re aiming for multiyear stability.
Another Packer that could come up is Malik Willis. Formerly Jordan Love’s backup, Willis should get opportunities to start with other teams. There will be a bidding war, given how critical the quarterback position is to team success. Willis started one game in Love’s absence, a 42-27 loss to the Baltimore Ravens that was closer than the final score.
One more backup that could get a look as a bridge quarterback is Jimmy Garoppolo. He has an extensive history working with LaFleur, both with the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams. Entering his Age 35 season, Garoppolo might either stay in Los Angeles or take a potential starting opportunity with Arizona.
The market will also be affected by what the Cardinals will do with Kyler Murray. Since his 2027 salary becomes fully guaranteed on March 15, the fifth day of the league year. That serves as a deadline for general manager Monti Ossenfort to move his starting quarterback.
Ultimately, the quarterback the Cardinals start will be someone who fits the offense that both LaFleur and Hackett envision.
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