The Green Bay Packers made the ever-popular decision to fire defensive coordinator Joe Barry after the defense, once again, failed to make any significant improvements. With eight former first round picks on its current roster, the Packers’ defense has the talent to be one of the top units in the NFL. Unfortunately, Barry either was not able to or refused to use the players in ways which brought out their best.
For Barry’s part, he is currently scheduled to interview for positions on the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears’ coaching staffs. It is very unlikely that he would be considered for any of the few defensive coordinator positions that are still open.
Meanwhile, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur faces that task of hiring his third defensive coordinator in six seasons. When he was first hired in 2019, he kept Mike McCarthy holdover Mike Pettine on staff. When Pettine’s contract was not renewed, he first tried to hire then Wisconsin Badgers defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, but hired Barry when Leonhard decided to stay in Madison.
Needless to say, this next hire has got to be a good one for LaFleur, who has come under heavy criticism for his hiring practices in the past. Many worry that he is too loyal to those he considers friends in NFL coaching circles, and the latest report out of Green Bay won’t do much to quell those worries.
The Green Bay Packers Are Interviewing Brandon Staley for Their Defensive Coordinator Position
Despite earlier reports that Staley would not be a leading candidate for the Packers’ defensive coordinator position, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reported on X (formerly Twitter) that Green Bay is interviewing LaFleur’s friend and the man who taught Barry how to run a Fangio-style defense:
Former Chargers head coach Brandon Staley is interviewing for the Packers vacant DC job, sources tell me and @DMRussini.
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) January 26, 2024
Before becoming the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, Staley was the Los Angles Rams defensive coordinator in 2020. It was the only year in his entire career that he served as a coordinator. Prior to that, he was a linebackers coach for the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos.
Staley went 24-24 in the regular season as head coach of the Chargers and lost the only playoff game his team appeared in during his tenure.
Will the Green Bay Packers Hire Brandon Staley?
As noted above, Staley was not expected to be a leading candidate for the Packers’ defensive coordinator position. That does not mean that he would not be considered at all, or at least granted an interview. His short run with the Rams as defensive coordinator has left an impression on many front offices and he is one of the bigger names on the market.
The question, though, is whether or not LaFleur wants to stick with a Fangio-style defense or try something new. Staley does run a very similar scheme as the one Barry ran in Green Bay, a scheme that frustrated many fans and, to some extent, players.
Barry has only been out of a job for two days and Staley is the first reported name to be interviewing to take his place. There will be many more interviews to come, and Staley may land a different job before the Packers even complete their process.
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