Packers Morning Buzz: Lots of moving parts at 1265 Lombardi

Welcome to your Morning Buzz, rounding up news and views regarding the Green Bay Packers and the NFL from around the web and here at PackersNews.com. Grab a strong cup of coffee and get caught up on everything you need to know about the Packers.

We’ll start with Tom Silverstein’s column looking at Russ Ball as a strong possibility to be the next general manager of the Green Bay Packers, which would be a break from the model Bob Harlan put in place with the hiring of Ron Wolf in the early Nineties.

From Tom:

It’s not that Wolf and Thompson were chosen simply for their personnel evaluation ability, but it was that ability that separated them from other candidates.

Selecting someone without a personnel background doesn’t guarantee failure, but it means potential change year after year. Wolf and Gutekunst can run pro and college scouting for Ball, but should they leave for GM jobs, Ball would be in a far worse position than Thompson was when he lost John Schneider, Reggie McKenzie and John Dorsey.

The difference was Thompson, the best evaluator in the room, was still there to make sure the draft decisions were sound. Ball has been sitting in on draft meetings in recent years, but it’s not the same as going out on the road and scouting players for yourself, something Gutekunst and Wolf have been doing their entire careers.

It doesn’t mean that Ball can’t be successful. Maybe he will be the perfect complement to a strong scouting staff and prove to be a terrific decision maker.

But it doesn’t change the fact that this hiring seems preordained.

The Packers are making changes to their offensive coaching staff:

Pete Dougherty and Eric Baranczyk write that the Packers need to upgrade their backup quarterback:

I chatted with fans via Facebook Live about Russ Ball and all things Packers:

You can also download my latest podcast if you need something to listen to on the go:

Elsewhere, Mike McCarthy discussed the coaching moves:

Rob Demovsky writes on the state of the coaching staff:

Eliot Wolf will interview today:

The Power Sweep looks at the Packers' front office:

Bill Huber writes the time was right to move on from Thompson:

Blake Martinez was one of the league’s leading tacklers:

The Packers could bring back some familiar faces:

Cheesehead TV looks at possible replacements at defensive coordinator:

ACME Packing Company has some Super Bowl predictions:

Sports Illustrated touched on the Packers' moves: