Eliot Wolf
When the Green Bay Packers hired Brian Gutekunst as their next general manager, they passed on Eliot Wolf. Now Wolf is taking his expertise with him to Cleveland, joining John Dorsey and the Cleveland Browns.
Wolf was a 14-year veteran of the Packers scouting team. He had an offer to remain with the Packers and could have joined Reggie McKenzie and Jon Gruden in Oakland as well. But in the end, after meeting with the Browns on Tuesday, he decided that would be the best place for him.
Wolf served as the Packers director of football operations from 2016 to 2017. He most likely would have been named as an assistant GM in Green Bay, working alongside Gutekunst. But Wolf being passed over for the position that his father Ron Wolf once held, likely played a factor in his decision to move.
It’s not a matter of whether or not Wolf becomes a GM in the NFL some day. It’s more a matter of when. Wolf was qualified for the Packers opening and will continue to get other opportunities moving forward.
Gutekunst will now have to find an assistant GM to oversee the personnel department. He has some internal candidates in director of college scouting Jon-Eric Sullivan and director of pro personnel John Wojciechowski.
McCarthy adds to coaching staff
Packers head coach Mike McCarthy has hired Frank Cignetti as the teams new quarterbacks coach.
The two coaches have a history, having worked as graduate assistants under Mike Gottfried at the University of Pittsburgh in 1989. They also coached together briefly in New Orleans.
The 52-year-old Cignetti replaces Alex Van Pelt, whose contract expired and decided to search for an offensive coordinator’s position.
McCarthy also hired Joe Philbin to most likely become the teams new offensive coordinator. McCarthy fired Edgar Bennett.
The Packers also hired Jim Hostler away from the Indianapolis Colts to replace Luke Getsy as wide receivers coach. Getsy left to become the offensive coordinator at Mississippi State.