Resentment on the Packers’ Coaching Staff?

The Green Bay Packers may have some resentment to deal with on their coaching staff in the coming months.

Back in early January the Packers denied the Chicago Bears permission to speak to quarterbacks coach Tom Clements about their open offensive coordinator position. At the time, I just laughed, but the Packers move may have serious internal consequences.

In last week’s Pro Football Weekly audibles column, which quotes NFL scouts, coaches and front-office types anonymously, the following nugget came out.

“Andy Reid was not afraid to let Steve Spagnuolo leave for a team within the division (the Giants). Secure people, they will never hold back their employees from taking a better job. But you have a lot of teams in this league who will restrict their employees from bettering themselves — too many. Too many insecure people. I understand it, but I think it’s selfish, and it usually creates a lot of resentment on coaching staffs. Trust me, I’ve been around it.”

Clearly, this is a nod towards the Packers situation.

While it’s debatable whether the Bears job is really better, simply because coach Lovie Smith is likely a lame duck, it would have been a promotion for Clements. In all probability, he’d be looking for another job next season, but there still has to be some resentment on Clements’ part.

It’s understandable that the Packers don’t want to help out a divisional foe, but to not give Clements the opportunity to take a look at the job is a bit much. If Clements is smart, and we think he is, he would have listened to the Bears, looked at the situation and politely declined.

Now, you have to wonder how his disposition will affect the team and the coaching staff in the coming year.

If there’s any good news in this, it’s that the Bears continue to stumble around like a drunken sailor on shore leave in their search for an offensive coordinator (and offseason moves in general). They were turned down by Jeremy Bates and Hue Jackson, who took the same jobs in Seattle and Oakland, respectively, and were denied permission to talk to Clements.

Interestingly, the Bears have now targeted Minnesota Vikings’ quarterbacks coach Kevin Rodgers and were granted permission to speak with him.

Must be great to work for Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy.

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