The Green Bay Packers fired defensive coordinator Joe Barry after the season and Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was named the next head coach of the Seattle Seahawks.
Two NFL franchises are also looking for defensive linemen, but there’s one common name to watch out for. The coaching search for a defensive coordinator is nothing new for Green Bay. Barry replaces Mike Pettine (2018-’20), who replaced Dom Capers (2009-’17) in 2021.
There were some bright spots for the Packers defense during that span, but the majority of the unit was disappointing.As for Dallas, Jerry Jones would love nothing more than to give Quinn and the team a break, and most head coaching vacancies are being filled quickly.
But the possibility of Quinn leaving for Seattle means Dallas will have to think about his potential replacement.According to Sportskeeda’s Tony Paulin, the Packers are interested in former Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera because of their vacant defensive tackle position.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys are expected to show interest if Quinn leaves for Seattle.Washington had one of the worst defenses in the NFL under defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio for most of the season. Del Rio was fired on November 24, 2023, following a loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
After he was fired, Rivera became the defensive play caller.The situation did not improve under Rivera’s watch. Washington still finished the regular season with the league’s worst defense, which struggled to generate pressure and gave up the NFL’s most pass production. After he was fired, Rivera said he wanted to become a defensive coordinator.
In Green Bay or Dallas, Rivera would have had more talent in high school than in Washington. Mike McCarthy and Matt LaFleur could see him as a great option to add experience to the coaching staff and bring in a defensive background. But considering that Rivera was a first-team defensive lineman more than a decade ago, it’s questionable how successful he’ll be at the position next season.
