New Ravens DC Zach Orr reportedly turned down NFC North suitor

The Ravens secured who they hope will be the next in a line of mostly outstanding defensive coordinators on Thursday when the team promoted inside linebackers coach Zach Orr. Orr staying in Baltimore, a city in which he’s now spent nine years as a player and coach, seems like a no-brainer.

But according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Orr had another DC offer: the Packers.

Wilson cites an unnamed league source in his report, which aligns with the timing and nature of Green Bay ultimately hiring former Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley. That agreement came as a bit of a surprise with no reports of an interview taking place before his sudden appointment. 

The shake-out paints an interesting picture for both teams. In Green Bay, it tells the story of a swing and a miss on one of the league’s up-and-coming, young coaches. In Baltimore, it shows how badly the Ravens wanted to hold on to Orr, who coached inside linebackers Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen to first- and second-team All-Pro honors, respectively.

Since hiring Orr, the Ravens have turned their attention to retaining another defensive assistant on the coordinator market.

Head coach John Harbaugh told the media in a press conference that the team is trying to hold on to Anthony Weaver after passing him up for their DC job. 

But Weaver is now the frontrunner for the Dolphins coordinator job, according to Wilson. So Baltimore appears to again find itself vying with another franchise for a key defensive coach.