Broncos DB coach Christian Parker gets another coordinator interview
Jan 26, 2024, 2:00 PM
Christian Parker interviewed with the New England Patriots last week for their defensive-coordinator position. Now, the Broncos defensive backs coach can add another team to his ledger: the Green Bay Packers.
Green Bay interviewed Parker for their vacant defensive-coordinator position, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
This interview is particularly intriguing because Christian Parker worked two seasons for the Packers under coach Matt LaFleur. He joined the Green Bay staff in 2019 after LaFleur took the Packers reins, working as a defensive quality-control coach for two seasons before the Broncos hired him as their defensive backs coach in 2021.
Parker survived two coaching changes after his first two seasons on the job in Denver. He is the only remaining position coach left on Denver’s staff from the Vic Fangio era.
Under Parker’s watch, cornerback Pat Surtain II and safety Justin Simmons earned Pro Bowl accolades over the last three seasons. Surtain also earned first-team All-Pro plaudits in 2022, and was a first-team All-Pro selection by his fellow players in 2023.
Should Christian Parker go to the Packers, he will inherit a defense that struggled at times last year, leading to coordinator Joe Barry’s dismissal this week. Green Bay ranked 10th in the league in scoring defense, but was 17th in total defense and 23rd in yards allowed per play.
Green Bay allowed 30-plus points three times in a five-week stretch covering the end of the season and the wild-card round of the playoffs. The Packers permitted 24 points to the 49ers last week in their divisional-round loss.
Parker has some competition for the Green Bay job, including Bills linebackers coach Bobby Babich and former Chargers head coach Brandon Staley. Staley worked as an outside-linebackers coach on the Broncos staff in 2019 before moving on to the Los Angeles Rams as defensive coordinator one year later.
