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With offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett on board, Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur turned much of his attention this week to the filling of the team’s vacant offensive line coach position. James Campen’s departure for Cleveland — followed on Friday afternoon by assistant OL coach Jeff Blasko joining his old boss with the Browns — left the Packers looking outside the organization for his replacement.
Apparently the team has settled on one of the early leaders. According to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports, the Packers are hiring Adam Stenavich as their next offensive line coach. Stenavich was one of two individuals confirmed to have been interviewed, with former Bengals OL coach Frank Pollack being the other.
This is an interesting choice for the Packers, considering that several highly-respected veteran line coaches became available this season. Stenavich has only served as an assistant offensive line coach in the NFL to this point in his career, compared to other individuals (including Pollack) who have five years of experience or more in the more senior position coaching job.
The Kyle Shanahan connection between Stenavich and LaFleur surely played a part in his hiring. Stenavich had been the 49ers’ assistant OL coach, and LaFleur needed Shanahan’s permission to interview him for this job. Although Shanahan declined to allow a pair of other offensive assistants to interview for the Packers’ offensive coordinator position — Mike McDaniel and Mike LaFleur, Matt’s brother — the fact that this is an upward move for Stenavich surely is the reason Shanahan permitted him to pursue the position.
Stenavich is a native of Marshfield, Wisconsin, and spent some time on the Packers’ practice squad as a player in 2006.
As mentioned above, former Packers assistant OL coach Jeff Blasko is moving to Cleveland to take the same position with the Browns. The Packers also saw another offensive assistant get a new job on Friday, as pass game coordinator Jim Hostler agreed to become the Carolina Panthers’ wide receivers coach.