Now that Katy Perry, not a fat lady, has sung, we can all go home now because the football season is officially over.

It was a season mixed with joy and ultimate sorrow for the Green Bay Packers.

So close, and yet so far.

As they never tire of saying in Chicago when the discussion turns to the Cubs, "wait ‘til next year." It’s only a few months away.

The offseason is always filled with ideas and suggestions and complaints and hopes. Well, I’ve got some ideas and since I write a column, here goes.

Let’s start with personnel, which is the easiest.

First of all there is the free agent thing. Tramon Williams, Randall Cobb, Bryan Bulaga, Jarrett Bush, B.J. Raji and Letroy Guion are the main free agent names.

Pretty clearly both Cobb and Bulaga need to be re-signed, even though Bulaga may cost a lot of money since he currently makes almost $4 million.

Decisions on defense are difficult.

Williams is 31 and makes $9 million and Bush is 30 and makes $2 million. It’s probably time to give up on Raji, who has been hurt and who has never lived up to his promise. Guion was stalwart in the middle and he only made $900,000 this year. Plus he’s just 27 so I think he’s an important re-sign.

Once the free agent thing is handled, we can move on to the roster and depth chart.

Basically, I think the Packers don’t have any huge crying needs anywhere on offense. They have the best quarterback in the game, a serious duo at running back and a receiver corps that may well be the best in the league. The offensive line is solid, although some depth might be good. If Richard Rodgers comes around, they should be pretty well set at tight end.

One thing that wouldn’t surprise me is if Ted Thompson found a quarterback to draft and groom to be the next Rodgers.

On defense the Packers set up pretty well. I do think they are going to have to make a decision regarding A. J. Hawk, who is smart enough to call the defensive signals but who increasingly looks a step slow in pass coverage. I’d be surprised if the Packers kept both Williams and Bush, but we’ll see.

So, let’s assume that the Packers go into next season with almost the same roster they have now. It’s a good roster. They have very good players at many positions.

But it may be time for an adjustment in some of the coaching decisions.

Clearly the firing of Shawn Slocum can’t hurt since the Packers had one of the worst special teams in the league and also managed to etch themselves in everyone’s memory with two huge gaffes in the game against Seattle.

Dom Capers has shown, once again, why people consider him a genius as a defensive coordinator. His movement of Clay Mathews around caused havoc. And integrating a veteran like Julius Peppers was another achievement for Capers.

It’s on offense where I think the Packers, and Mike McCarthy, need to change some guiding principles.

McCarthy has talked, over and over, about having a solid balance between passing plays and running plays. I think that’s a faulty approach.

McCarthy has one of the very best weapons in the league in Rodgers and his receivers. Every rule change in recent years has been designed to open up the passing game. This is the horse that McCarthy has to learn to rely on.

Eddie Lacy is a great runner but he will be even more effective if McCarthy turns Rodgers loose. I’m not talking about throwing on every down, but the key emphasis for the offense needs to be the passing game.

McCarthy has always seemed to be a little rigid in his play calling. One of the marks of the real great football teams is their ability to surprise you. I have the feeling that McCarthy doesn’t really consider the element of surprise, something unusual.

If they stay healthy I think the Packers will be one of the favorites to be in the Super Bowl next year, but I think the road will be a little easier if there is just some adjustment in the offensive scheme and in the mind of McCarthy.

Plus there is the idea of history. The Packers played in the first Super Bowl, and next year is the 50th. Fitting.