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It's not what we initially feared. Originally, when news broke that the Green Bay Packers were going to hire Ron Zook, it was believed that he was to be the outside linebackers coach. For a defensive-minded coach, that might have worked, but Zook's coaching experience as a position coach was mostly limited to defensive backs.
Therefore, when we learned this news, we were able to breathe a little easier:
New from JS: Zook named Packers' assistant special teams coach http://t.co/JTCMEBGilV #packers
— Tom Silverstein (@TomSilverstein) February 7, 2014
Zook will be replacing the fired Chad Morton as special teams coach. As such, the Packers are still searching for a replacement for Kevin Greene to coach the outside linebackers.
However, now that this news is out, it makes more sense for the Packers to offer Zook this job than for him to coach the linebackers. Zook coached the Steelers' special teams from 1996 to 98, and also worked with the special teams during part of his first tenure with the Florida Gators in the early 1990s.
Perhaps most importantly, this leaves the door open for Green Bay to potentially bring Wade Phillips aboard to coach the linebackers (if he does not find a coordinator job). Phillips has connections to both Dom Capers and Ted Thompson, and would seem like a natural fit if he does not get a better job offer elsewhere.
