With black Monday past us and the off-season as the sole focus in Green Bay, the Packers have started to request permission to speak with potential coaching candidates. It was reported last week that the Packers already started interviewing candidates. They brought in Jim Caldwell and Chuck Pagano. The rumors are swirling and there is a lot of chatter on who the Packers are talking to about their vacant head coaching position.

Here is what we know so far in this very fluid situation:

Matt LaFleur – According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Packers have requested permission to interview the Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator. He has worked for Sean McVay the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers head coach, Kyle Shanahan.

Dan Campbell – According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Mark Murphy and Brian Gutekunst have asked permission to interview the current New Orleans Saints tight ends coach. He is a hard-nosed coach and went 5-7 as an interim head coach of the Miami Dolphins. He promoted the current Los Angeles Rams quarterbacks coach to be his play caller when he was the interim head coach in Miami. He is also the son-in-law of former Packers head coach Mike Sherman, according to Tom Silverstein.

Mike Munchak – The Packers brass has reportedly reached out to interview Munchak the current Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line coach. With the Steelers currently out of the playoffs, they do not need to wait and can interview Munchak right away.

If you want to achieve excellence, there is probably no better organization to at least have a conversation with members of their coaching staff, than the New England Patriots.

Josh McDaniels – Adam Schefter of ESPN has reported that the Packers have officially asked for permission to speak with McDaniels. He and the Packers have been connected since Mike McCarthy was fired . McDaniels is the long time offensive coordinator in New England and the presumed apparent to Bill Belichick. He was once the head coach of the Denver Broncos. Which, did not go so well. He also left the Indianapolis Colts at the alter last off-season when they were ready to name him as their next head coach. He would be a creative offensive mind that would blend well with Aaron Rodgers. He does have extensive experience working with hall-of-fame quarterbacks, as he has coached Tom Brady.

Brian Flores – Adam Schefter also reported that Mark Murphy and Brian Gutekunst. He is the New England Patriots defensive coordinator. He has been in the Patriots organization since 2004. Flores is a very highly respected coach in NFL circles. This would be a definite cultural shift for the Packers organization. They would be moving from offensive minded head coaches to a defensive minded one.

One candidate that was high on a potential list of candidates that they Packers should contact was, Pat Fitzgerald, the current Northwestern head coach. He has repeatedly shot down interview requests in the past, so no guarantees he takes the interview if the Packers contact him. Plus, he did say after Northwestern’s Holiday Bowl victory, that he is not going anywhere and staying at Northwestern.

These are the candidates that have been reportedly contacted by Mark Murphy, Brian Gutekunst and the rest of the Packers brass to interview for their head coaching vacancy. It has yet to be confirmed or reported if the Packers have reached out to current Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and former Miami Head Coach Adam Gase. Things are just heating up, but the Packers list and targets are starting to be.

Anthony Haag is a writer for PackersTalk.com. He has been a Packers fan since the day he was born and truly bleeds green and gold. He makes annual visits to Lambeau Field and has attended his fair share of games. You can follow Anthony on Twitter at @anthony_haag