Green Bay Packers: Joe Barry Defense Giving Playmakers More Freedom

The stats didn’t always show it, and neither did the miscues over the course of the season, but this is a very talented defense that the Green Bay Packers have. And ultimately, that was likely one big reason why Matt LaFleur thought it was time for a change at defensive coordinator–the stats didn’t reflect the talent level.

As Adrian Amos has pointed out, there are still plenty of similarities between Barry’s defense and that of Mike Pettine’s, telling reporters that “it’s not that big of a transition.” But of course, there are several differences as well, including “how plays are called and certain concepts,” as Amos also noted.

On top of that, I’m pretty sure that every defensive player has commented on the energy that Barry has brought to the meeting rooms and the practice field–which is another fairly noticeable difference.

Not to mention that as Ross Uglem of Packer Report discussed in the Cheesehead TV Draft Guide, we can also expect nose and 4i-tech alignment from the interior defenders, lightboxes, as well as the safeties aligning in a two-high look and playing closer to the line of scrimmage—among other things.

Although the defense is still being installed, and there undoubtedly will be some lumps taken along the way, a few of the defensive players that we’ve heard from recently are excited about the “freedom” that this defensive scheme affords them.

Preston Smith told reporters that “he (Barry) knows how to put his playmakers in a position to make plays.” And with a defense that includes Smith, Amos, Rashan Gary, Za’Darius Smith, Kenny Clark, Jaire Alexander, and Darnell Savage, the Green Bay Packers have a lot of playmakers, and giving them more opportunities to make splash plays is only a good thing.

With this group of players, the Green Bay Packers’ defense should be the one dictating what the offense does, rather than playing passive and letting the offense control the possession.

Gary echoed similar sentiments when asked about his first impressions, saying that Barry is giving them “freedom” and “letting us be us.”

Even the reigning MVP has taken notice. What the Barry defense shows the offense pre-snap is not what the quarterback is going to be seeing once the play is underway. There is a lot of late movement to cause confusion and second-guessing.

When meeting with reporters on Wednesday, Aaron Rodgers recalled one play in particular during practice when he was ready to release the ball; Savage wasn’t where Rodgers expected him to be based on his pre-snap alignment. The end result on that play was a win for the defense.

Allen Lazard would acknowledge this pre-snap confusion by complimenting the job that the defense does at “disguising” what they’re actually going to do and “not tipping their hat.”

Rodgers would go on to add that overall, this Green Bay Packers defense is simply playing “more free.”

In the end, it’s going to come down to the performances on the field and not what’s said off of it. And as I already mentioned, there will certainly be ups and downs this season–it is a new system, after all.

However, the early remarks are encouraging, nonetheless. This is a very talented group of players that from the sounds of it are going to be put into positions to make more plays, cause more confusion pre-snap, and that added freedom that they have will allow their natural instincts and abilities to take over.

"“It’s not really like any of the other defenses that I’ve faced over the years in practice,” said Rodgers via Packers.com."