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New coordinators, new titles highlight Packers' revamped staff

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- New faces and old ones with new titles -- most of them with the word coordinator in it -- highlighted the Green Bay Packers' coaching staff changes announced Wednesday.

Many of them have previously been reported by ESPN and other media outlets, including the hiring more than two weeks ago of Joe Philbin as offensive coordinator and Mike Pettine as his defensive counterpart. It gives the Packers former NFL head coaches at both coordinator spots.

But there were a few surprises and promotions when coach Mike McCarthy unveiled his 2018 staff.

Among them:

  • New titles for long-time offensive line coach James Campen, who added run-game coordinator to his duties, and new assistant Jim Hostler as pass-game coordinator. Hostler will work closely with new quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti Jr.

  • On the defensive side, long-time cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt Jr. became the pass-game coordinator, and new inside linebackers coach Patrick Graham was also named run-game coordinator. Jason Simmons, formerly the special teams assistant, will coach the secondary (although the Packers are still waiting on a decision to return by safeties coach Darren Perry), and Jerry Montgomery (who had initially left for a job at Texas A&M) returns as defensive line coach. He had been the position assistant.

  • Including strength and conditioning coordinator Mark Lovat, whose staff remained unchanged despite a season filled with injuries, the Packers have eight members of their staff with coordinator in their title.

Here's a look at the staff:

Offense

  • Philbin, coordinator: The former Miami Dolphins coach returns to the position he held before he got his first head-coaching job. Although Philbin did not call plays then and won't this time around, the Packers offense never finished outside the top 10 when he held that job from 2007-11.

  • Campen, run-game coordinator/offensive line: The longest-tenured assistant returns for his 15th season. He has been in charge of the run game for years and now has it's in his title.

  • Hostler, pass-game coordinator:: Like Philbin, he comes from the Indianapolis Colts. He and McCarthy worked together in San Francisco in 2005, when McCarthy was the offensive coordinator and Hostler the quarterbacks coach.

  • Cignetti, quarterbacks: Spent the last two seasons as the New York Giants quarterbacks coach under former Packers assistant coach Ben McAdoo. He replaced Alex Van Pelt, whose contract expired and was not renewed. Van Pelt ended up as the Cincinnati Bengals' quarterbacks coach.

  • David Raih, receivers: Takes over for Luke Getsy as receivers coach after spending last season as offensive perimeter coach, where he worked mostly with the quarterbacks. Getsy left to become the offensive coordinator at Mississippi State.

  • Brian Angelichio, tight ends: Returns for his third season in this position with the Packers.

  • Ben Sirmans, running backs: Returns for his third season in this position with the Packers.

  • Jeff Blasko, assistant offensive line: Returns for his second season in this position with the Packers.

Defense

  • Pettine, coordinator: The former Cleveland Browns coach had been without a coaching job the last two seasons. In his five years running defenses for the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills, his units never finished outside the top 10. Replaced Dom Capers, who was fired after nine seasons.

  • Whitt, pass-game coordinator: Coached the Packers cornerbacks for the last nine seasons and was the leading internal candidate for the defensive coordinator job that went to Pettine.

  • Patrick Graham, run-game coordinator/inside linebackers: Spent the last two seasons as the defensive line coach for the Giants and before that nine seasons on the New England Patriots defensive staff.

  • Winston Moss, associate head coach/linebackers: The longest-tenured member of the defensive staff, Moss returns for his 13th season with the Packers. He's a member of McCarthy's original coaching staff in 2006.

  • Simmons, secondary: Spent the last three seasons as the Packers assistant special-teams coach after playing 10 NFL seasons as a defensive back for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans.

  • Montgomery, defensive line: Replaced Mike Trgovac, who was fired along with Capers. After serving as Trgovac's assistant, he initially left this offseason for Texas A&M but was lured back by McCarthy.

  • Scott McCurley, defensive assistant: Initially let go along with Capers and Trgovac, he returns but not to his old job of assistant linebackers coach. He's been with the Packers in various roles since 2007.

  • Ryan Downard, defensive quality control: Spent the last two seasons in college coaching at Bowling Green after working for Pettine in Cleveland in 2014-15. Replaces Tim McGarigle, who took a job at Northwestern.

Special teams

  • Ron Zook, coordinator: Returns for his fourth season in this position after his unit finished with its highest ranking, No. 16 overall, since he took over for Shawn Slocum in 2015.

  • Maurice Drayton, assistant: Spent the past two seasons in the same position with the Colts.