Strength staff reshuffling

LaFleur called the 43-year-old Gizzi, who played linebacker for the Packers in 2000 and 2001, “a critical hire.” Why? “You talk about the guys that are going to take to the team the most, it’s going to myself, it’s going to be the special teams coordinator and it’s going to be the strength coach,” LaFleur said. “So those three positions are absolutely critical to our success moving forward.”

Extra points

Pettine made it clear he was not part of the team’s decision to part ways with Whitt. Whitt ended up with the Browns but his firing had come as a surprise, given his close working relationship with Pettine. “I have a ton of respect for Joe Whitt. I think he’s going to be a coordinator in this league sooner than later. Outstanding teacher. There were no issues,” Pettine said. “The thing I appreciate about Joe is he wasn’t afraid to speak up, and if he saw something that was wrong or needed to be corrected, we had very meaningful discussions about it. I don’t want a room full of bobbleheads. He loves football, he holds his guys accountable. There were no issues there.” … Until the offseason program begins in early April — teams with new head coaches are allowed to start earlier than the rest of the league — players are off-limits to the new coaches, per NFL rules. But soon-to-be free-agent outside linebacker Clay Matthews meandered through the locker room Monday while position coaches met with reporters, joking he only came to the facility for a free lunch. … The team announced its 14th annual “Tailgate Tour” will depart April 9 and visit Marshfield (April 9), Sparta (April 10), New Richmond (April 11), Chippewa Falls (April 12) and Antigo (April 13). With the early start to the offseason program, no current players will be on the tour, but Murphy will instead be joined by alumni Nick Barnett, Earl Dotson, Ryan Grant, Bernardo Harris, Aaron Kampman and Scott Wells.