The Green Bay Packers tried to bring a familiar face back to their scouting department. They were rebuffed by former scout Scot McCloughan, according to Bob McGinn.
Instead, like both Alonzo Highsmith and Eliot Wolf, McCloughan decided to join general manager John Dorsey with the Cleveland Browns.
McCloughan was originally a Ron Wolf hire with the Packers. He worked above current general manager Brian Gutekunst before leaving for Seattle and then taking general manager jobs with San Francisco from 2008-09 and later Washington, from 2015-16.
That would have potentially been a get for Gutekunst, who has kept his personnel department as is, despite the defections of Highsmith and Wolf. Gutekunst has publicly stated that it will remain that way until after the draft.
Meanwhile, Gutekunst is relying heavily on director of college scouting Jon-Eric Sullivan, director of pro personnel John Wojciechowski and senior adviser Ted Thompson.
It’s a loss for the Packers. McCloughan is a well-respected talent evaluator.
But nothing new here. When Gutekunst was hired as GM, the trail to Cleveland from Green Bay started to become a well-travelled one. Highsmith left before the interviews even began. Wolf left after Gutekunst was hired. McCloughan is just the latest to spurn the Packers.