3 Reasons Packers Should Fire Joe Barry Before End of the Season
The fans have officially united and turned on Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry, calling for head coach Matt LaFleur to fire him immediately.
LaFleur took the professional approach in his postgame news conference but left the door open to moving on from Barry at some point in the near future. When asked several times about his defense and why they allowed the Tampa Bay Buccanneers to have a field day, LaFleur continuously referred to needing to watch the film before answering any questions.
The Bucs would’ve dropped a 40-burger on Green Bay if it wasn’t for Rachaad White mercifully sliding down around the ten-yard line late in the game. Tampa Bay had their way with the Packers’ defense, handing them their second-straight loss. With the defense at the heart of the issue, the Packers should fire Joe Barry right now.
3 Reasons Packers Should Fire Joe Barry Before End of the Season
1. Packers Know Who Joe Barry Is
This is Barry’s third stint as a defensive coordinator, and they’ve all ended the same way (which brings up a bigger question as to why LaFleur hired Barry for a third go-round when his first two opportunities failed).
Barry loves to play a bend but don’t break passive defense. This looks good on the scoreboard, as Green Bay’s scoring defense is typically in the middle of the pack. However, his passiveness has drawn the ire of fans and players alike, as the defense typically gives up long drives that milk the clock and kill any chance at creating momentum. Barry’s defense has been the same every year he’s been here, and with the Packers in rebuilding mode, they have nothing to lose from moving on from him immediately.
2. Players Have Lost Faith
What’s going on with Jaire Alexander? Why has Kenny Clark seemingly regressed since Barry took over? The Packers’ defense has no answers to these questions and plenty more about what’s happening on the field. During training camp, they talked about being more aggressive than ever. Barry led his players to believe he would consider their wants, but continues to revert to his same leaky defensive schemes.
3. Get a Head Start on New Defensive Coordinator
By firing Barry, the Packers can get a head start on starting their defensive coordinator search. LaFleur can begin to glance around the league to determine who he wants to run his defense next year, a decision that could impact how his time in Green Bay is remembered.
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They wouldn’t be able to talk to everyone, as many candidates are under contract, but they could begin to see if someone like Robert Saleh or Matt Eberflus could become available. There’s also a quality candidate in Jim Leonhard who is only an analyst at Illinois. The Packers could check back in with him after they reportedly offered him the job the first time around.