The Miami Dolphins have hired longtime Green Bay Packers executive Jon-Eric Sullivan as their new general manager, and in the midst of a comprehensive coaching search, it sounds like conservatism could rule the process.
Although Sullivan's presence could be a major asset to landing the best free-agent quarterback on the market in Green Bay's Malik Willis, the former shouldn't narrow his view on coaching candidates in a similar fashion.
Alas, that appears to be happening, and it's all so predictable and boring.
Major sportsbook names Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as the favorite to be the next Miami Dolphins head coach
Bet365 released an article focused on the Dolphins' next permanent head coach odds. Tell me, Miami fans, if you're thrilled with this lineup and the order in which they're sequenced:
- Jeff Hafley +185
- John Harbaugh +275
- Mike Tomlin +400
- Mike McCarthy +750
- Vance Joseph +750
- Jesse Minter +850
The list goes on, but the main takeaway is that, yes, the Fins' new GM is zeroed in on the Packers defensive coordinator he's already familiar with.
Now to underscore why this is "sadly predictable." For one, it's a bad cliché to move off an offensive mastermind to a defensive guru. That's what the oddsmakers predict the Dolphins will do after firing Mike McDaniel, who, by the way, seems to be getting a lot of interest!
Not that Hafley is a bad coach, but the Packers are notoriously insular. Sullivan began with that organization in 2004 as a football operations assistant and worked his way up. Admirable loyalty between both parties there.
That said, pray tell, how has that hyper-insular mindset really worked out for the Cheeseheads over the years? Last I checked, they only managed to win one Super Bowl during Aaron Rodgers' 15 seasons as a starter there. I can give the Pack a pass for a single Lombardi Trophy in the Brett Favre era. He's the all-time leader in interceptions and single-handedly cost them multiple times.
But to only get one 'chip in Rodgers' prime? Yikes! And now Jordan Love is playing at an extremely high level, only to be let down by the defense. Love threw four TDs against the Bears and built a 21-3 halftime lead. Hafley's D yielded 25 fourth-quarter points to Chicago in a stunning 31-27 loss.
Yes, Micah Parsons' injury basically ruined the Packers' defense. However, Hafley didn't have him the season prior and seemed to do just fine. What happened? Guess that's a question the Dolphins and other interested teams will have to drop in the interview process.
The other defensive coaches listed among the lead Dolphins head coach contenders on Bet365's odds also feel like superior options.
Vance Joseph has the Broncos as the AFC's No. 1 seed with Bo Nix as his quarterback. Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has done more with less for the Bolts than Joseph has in Denver, or Hafley has in Green Bay, for that matter.
So yeah, if Jeff Hafley is the Dolphins' guy, is anyone going to be super jazzed about it?