The Green Bay Packers officially named Joe Barry as the team’s new defensive coordinator on Monday. A veteran NFL coach with previous (but memorable) experience as a coordinator, Barry will take over Matt LaFleur’s defense after Mike Pettine’s contract was not renewed after the 2020 season.
Here are some early thoughts on Barry as the new Packers defense coordinator:
– Matt LaFleur and the Packers spent a lot of time preparing for the Rams defense before the playoffs in the division. You can bet that all the work involved – and the various problems with preparing for the scheme – played into LaFleur’s desire to get a coach from the Rams system.
– Like Sean McVay, LaFleur wanted a coach who had ties to the Vic Fangio system. The Rams hit gold with Brandon Staley. The Packers hope to do the same with Barry.
– It’s not necessary to pull the fact around: Barry’s previous two shifts as defense coordinator did not go well. His defenses in Detroit and Washington ranged from fantastic average to historically bad. And two failed opportunities as a coordinator are hard to overlook. But talent matters. It just does. The players almost always matter more than the coordinator. And in Green Bay, he will have significantly more individual talent, especially in key positions. It depends on Brian Gutekunst and the personnel department to make sure the stars in the Packers’ defense – Kenny Clark, Za’Darius Smith, Jaire Alexander and Adrian Amos – are complemented by better surrounding talent in 2021. Schemes and coordinators can cover up shortcomings , but a defense is usually only as good as its weakest link.
– There is something to be said about a head coach who gets the opportunity to fully implement his own vision. Remember, Pettine was a hold of Mike McCarthy. There is no doubt that Pettine’s previous experience as head coach during his first two seasons was a good thing for LaFleur. Now LaFleur finally has the opportunity to find his coach and fully realize what he wants to do on defense. Whether it offers improvement or not, of course, lies in the air. But everything that happens going forward will happen within the full realized framework of LaFleur’s vision, both offensive and defensive.
Barry’s coaching background is in lineout balance. It will be interesting to see what he thinks of the returning group, and how much his influence on defense will affect how the Packers attack the position during the off-season. Kamal Martin and Krys Barnes are young talent, but this is a place where the Packers can use an upgrade. Will it come internally, via Barry, or with outside help? A mix can do the trick.
Just as it would be foolish to dismiss his previous job as coordinator completely, it would also be unwise to overlook what he has done over the past four years. The chance to work under Wade Phillips and Brandon Staley probably had a big impact on the philosophy of defense he was going to bring to Green Bay. The Rams had the No. 1 defense in football last season, although 2020 was the first time in the past four years that Los Angeles was in the top 10 in the rankings or in the meter.
– There should also be a lot of intrigue about how the Packers use Jaire Alexander. Barry was in the staff that built coverage around All-Pro corner line Jalen Ramsey in Los Angeles. It is possible that the Packers will put more on Alexander’s plate in 2021. He’s ready for it.
A question to consider: Does Joe Barry even get an interview if he has not previously worked with LaFleur in Los Angeles?
Another relevant fact: McVay and the Rams have appointed two defense coordinators over the past two seasons. Both were out renting with Barry in the staff.
Without a doubt, it was the biggest decision LaFleur has made since becoming the Packers coach. His team has won 26 games in the regular season and advanced each of the past two seasons to the threshold of the Super Bowl. Now he is making a big change in the most important coaching position under him. Even marginal improvement in defense can make a big difference, but the Packers have no grace period. This is a team that is ready to compete for Super Bowls. Barry’s defense must play a key role in finally getting the Packers over the hill.