Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur has another spot to fill on his offensive coaching staff. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Nathaniel Hackett and the Denver Broncos are hiring tight ends coach Justin Outten to be the team’s new offensive coordinator.
Outten joined the Packers in 2019 on LaFleur’s first coaching staff. He’s been the tight ends coach for the last three seasons.
In Denver, Outten will get a promotion on Hackett’s first coaching staff. The former Packers offensive coordinator left Green Bay to become the Broncos new head coach earlier this month, and he’s bringing assistants with him to help install a new offense and create a new culture in Denver.
With the Packers, Outten helped get the most out of veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis while also developing young players such as Robert Tonyan, who caught 11 touchdown passes in 2020, and Josiah Deguara, a third-round pick in 2020.
Before arriving in Green Bay, Outten spent three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, primarily working with the offensive line.
The Packers promoted four coaches to fill vacancies on the offensive coaching staff on Tuesday. The team must still hire a quarterbacks coach, and now tight ends coach can be added to the pile.
Outten is the second Packers assistant to leave for an offensive coordinator job this offseason, joining Luke Getsy, who is now the playcaller for the Chicago Bears.
The Packers don’t have an obvious replacement for Outten on staff, although quality control assistant Tim Zetts and coaching assistant Ruvell Martin could be candidates.