Green Bay Packers Have 3 Known Interviews for Defensive Coordinator Opening

As Matt LaFleur conducts his first search for a defensive coordinator, I wrote over the weekend that it was likely going to be an extensive search. Well, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, that search has begun as the Green Bay Packers are scheduled to interview three candidates.

Demovsky makes an important note that these aren’t the only candidates by any means, but they are the first. This group includes Los Angeles Chargers Defensive Passing Game Coordinator Joe Barry. Washington’s Defensive Backs Coach Chris Harris. And Ejiro Evero, the Los Angeles Rams Safety Coach.

From these early interviews, it’s clear that LaFleur is casting a wide net as he searches for the Packers’ next Defensive Coordinator–which was to be expected. This is, after all, his first time hiring a Defensive Coordinator as Mike Pettine was a holdover from Mike McCarthy’s staff.

So to help familiarize yourself with what could be potentially the next defensive play-caller of the Green Bay Packers, here is a quick look at each candidate.

Joe Barry

Prior to landing in his current position with the Chargers, Barry has been a defensive coordinator two other times during his career. The first was from 2007 to 2008 with Detroit and then again in 2015 and 2016 with Washington.

Barry was then the assistant head coach/linebackers coach for the Los Angeles Rams from 2017 to 2019, spending a season with LaFleur when he was the offensive coordinator under Sean McVay. And take it for what it’s worth, but this past season by DVOA, the Chargers’ pass defense ranked 17th.

Chris Harris

The former NFL safety was the Defensive Backs Coach for the Washington Football team this past season. This is a group that features Fabian Moreau, Jimmy Moreland, and Kendall Fuller and finished second in pass defense this past year by DVOA. Washington’s 16 interceptions were the third-highest mark in the NFL as well.

Prior to joining Washington, Harris spent four years with the Los Angeles Chargers as their assistant secondary coach.

Ejiro Evero

Evero was with the Green Bay Packers in 2016 as a quality control staff member but has since been with the Los Angeles Rams as the Safeties Coach since 2017–again spending a season with LaFleur when he was the Offensive Coordinator.

Evero coached a safety room that included Jordan Fuller, JuJu Hughes, John Johnson III, and Nick Scott. Overall, the Rams’ defense ranked first in points per game allowed and fourth by DVOA.

As already mentioned, these aren’t the only interviews that LaFleur will be conducting, but they are the first. It’s also worth noting that each of these coordinators have a wide variety of experiences.

This is a Green Bay Packers’ offense that was the most productive in the NFL last season and a defense with a lot of talented players. Coupling this offense with a legitimate top-10 defense could be the difference for Green Bay as they’ll try again to get over that NFC Championship hump.