GREEN BAY — Apparently, Mike McCarthy figured the best man to turn around his mediocre special teams unit was already on the payroll.

The Green Bay Packers' coach promoted Shawn Slocum to be his new special teams coordinator, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Tuesday night.

Slocum, 43, spent the past three seasons assisting former special teams coach Mike Stock, who recently announced his retirement.

According to the Journal Sentinel, the Packers also interviewed Mike Priefer, who coached special teams in Kansas City the past three seasons, and Larry Mac Duff, a longtime NFL special teams coach.

Meanwhile, McCarthy spent most of Tuesday talking to Jim Haslett about the team's vacant defensive coordinator job.

Haslett, who took over as the St. Louis Rams' interim head coach four games into the 2008 season after Scott Linehan was fired, is one of five finalists for the Rams job, but if he doesn't stay in St. Louis, he could be the perfect fit for McCarthy and the Packers.

McCarthy, who was Haslett's offensive coordinator with the New Orleans Saints from 2000 through 2004, has interviewed three candidates for the job: Ex-San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Nolan, who became the Denver Broncos' defensive coordinator this week; Gregg Williams, who remains in contention for the job but is in high demand; and Haslett.

Haslett's interview was first reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Tuesday and was confirmed by an NFL source. Another NFL source said Haslett and McCarthy spoke by telephone last week.

The source also confirmed Haslett came to Green Bay Monday and dined with McCarthy and other staffers Monday night. He then formally interviewed on Tuesday.

Despite reports to the contrary, the source said McCarthy and Haslett have been on good terms since their parting after the 2004 season.

Haslett runs an aggressive, blitz-heavy defense, which would be a departure from deposed coordinator Bob Sanders' scheme.

Williams, the source said, remains in the running, but the Saints and Houston Texans are also interested in him, and one of his former teams, the Tennessee Titans, also could be if their coordinator, Jim Schwartz, lands a head-coaching job.

Joining Haslett as finalists for the Rams job, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, are Dallas offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan and Minnesota defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier. The Post-Dispatch reported that Haslett is the favorite of many Rams players and rank-and-file staffers.

Extra points

Packers cornerback Charles Woodson withdrew from the NFC Pro Bowl team and was replaced by Tampa Bay Buccaneers corner Ronde Barber. "Although I am grateful to have made the Pro Bowl, it was a mutual decision between myself and the Packers that I allow my body ample time to heal," Woodson, who was plagued by a broken toe this season, said via text message. ... Former Packers cornerbacks coach Lionel Washington was hired by the Oakland Raiders and will likely assume defensive backs coaching responsibilities.