Safeties coach Darren Perry still could stay with Packers

GREEN BAY – Safeties coach Darren Perry still was considering his options Tuesday and it was not a given that he was leaving the Green Bay Packers.

A Sporting News report said Perry was interviewing for a job coaching the Houston Texans safeties and referred to him as “former” Packers safeties coach.

However, Perry still is under contract with the Packers, which means if he isn’t hired somewhere else, he would return to his position.

Perry was one of three internal candidates who interviewed for the defensive coordinator position that went to former Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine. A source said coach Mike McCarthy wants Perry to return, but he has granted him permission to seek a position with another team.

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Even if Perry were interviewing for a coordinator’s position, a team would need permission from the Packers to talk to him because he is under contract. Only promotions to head coach don’t require permission under the league’s tampering rules for coaches.

Perry has been blocked before from interviewing for other jobs, but McCarthy may feel he owes it to Perry to let him leave if it sets him up for a coordinator’s job soon.

In Houston, Perry probably would be hired to replace defensive backs coach John Butler, who was fired after the season. Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel is a candidate for a head-coaching job, but it’s uncertain if Perry would be a candidate to replace him if he leaves.

Several other staffs still are being assembled around the NFL, and Perry could be a candidate to join one of them if he doesn’t get the Houston job.

In Green Bay, McCarthy could promote him to defensive backs coach since he promoted cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt Jr. to defensive passing game coordinator. It’s unclear if Whitt will have any duties coaching cornerbacks given his new assignment and it’s possible Perry could handle all the defensive backs if he returns.

McCarthy’s staff is still not complete. There have been no reports of McCarthy hiring for defensive line, defensive line assistant and quality control. How much input Pettine is having in the hiring process is not known, but it’s possible that someone from his staff in Cleveland or an associate from Buffalo or the New York Jets will join him.

Perry joined the Packers' staff in 2009 when Dom Capers was hired and has coached safeties during his entire tenure.

NOTE: Packers wide receiver Davante Adams was named to the Pro Bowl roster in place of the Falcons' Julio Jones, who declined to play due to injury.

Adams, who led the Packers with 74 catches for 885 yards and 10 TDs in 2017, will be making his first Pro Bowl appearance and joins defensive lineman Mike Daniels as Green Bay's representatives in the game.