The Green Bay Packers made the decision to fire defensive coordinator Joe Barry, and the defense failed to make significant improvements.
With eight former first-round picks currently on the roster, the Packers defense has the ability to be one of the best units in the NFL. Unfortunately, Barry has failed or given up on bringing out the best in his players.Barry is currently scheduled to interview for positions on the coaching staffs of the Philadelphia Eagles and the Chicago Bears.
He is unlikely to be considered for one of the few open defensive coordinator jobs. Meanwhile, Packers coach Matt LaFleur faces the task of hiring his third defensive coordinator in six seasons. When he was first hired in 2019, he replaced Mike McCarthy with Mike Pettine. When Pettine’s contract was not renewed, he initially tried to hire Wisconsin Badgers defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, but when Leonhard decided to stay in Madison, he hired Barry.
Needless to say, this would be a good hire for LaFleur, who has been heavily criticized for his past hiring practices. Many are concerned that he is too loyal to those he considers friends in NFL coaching circles, and the latest report from Green Bay does little to assuage those concerns. Despite earlier reports that Staley was not a front-runner for the Packers’ defensive coordinator job,
The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman reported that he was. Running Style Protection:Before becoming the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, Staley served as the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams in 2020. It was the only year he served as a coordinator in his entire career. Before that, he coached the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos.
Staley went 24-24 in the regular season as the Chargers’ head coach, losing the only playoff game his team played during his tenure. Staley was not expected to be a front-runner for the Packers’ defensive coordinator job. That doesn’t mean he wasn’t considered at all, or at least wasn’t interviewed.
His short career with the Rams as defensive coordinator impressed many front offices and he is one of the biggest names on the market.But the question is whether LaFleur wants to stick with the Fangio-style defense or try something new. Staley uses a very similar scheme to Barry in Green Bay, much to the chagrin of many fans and, to some extent, players.
Barry was out for two days and Staley was the first celebrity to be interviewed in his place. There are plenty of interviews to come, and Staley may find another job before the Packers’ process is complete.
