Breaking news: Green Bay Packers up for Recently Fired Head Coach for Defensive Coordinator

The Green Bay Packers opted to dismiss defensive coordinator Joe Barry due to the ongoing struggles of the defense. Despite having eight former first-round picks on the roster, the defense failed to show significant improvement, partly attributed to Barry’s inability or unwillingness to utilize the players effectively.

Joe Barry is currently set to interview for coaching positions with the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears. However, it seems unlikely that he will be seriously considered for the few remaining defensive coordinator roles.

In the meantime, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur is tasked with hiring his third defensive coordinator in six seasons. When he initially joined in 2019, he retained Mike Pettine from Mike McCarthy’s staff. After Pettine’s contract was not renewed, LaFleur attempted to bring in Jim Leonhard from the Wisconsin Badgers but ended up hiring Barry when Leonhard chose to stay in Madison.

The upcoming hire is crucial for LaFleur, who has faced criticism for his past hiring decisions. Concerns have been raised about his loyalty to friends in the NFL coaching circles, and the latest report from Green Bay is unlikely to ease those worries.

Brandon Staley is being interviewed by the Green Bay Packers to be their defensive coordinator.

Green Bay is interviewing LaFleur’s pal and the man who taught Barry how to run a Fangio-style defence, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, who posted the news on X (previously Twitter), despite earlier indications that Staley would not be a top candidate for the Packers’ defensive coordinator position:

In 2020, Staley was the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams before taking over as head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. That was the one and only year he had ever been a coordinator in his career. He had been the linebackers coach for the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears before that.

As head coach of the Chargers, Staley went 24–24 in the regular season and his club lost the one postseason game they played in while he was in charge.

Will Brandon Staley Be Hired by the Green Bay Packers?

As mentioned earlier, Staley wasn’t initially considered a top candidate for the Packers’ defensive coordinator role. However, this doesn’t rule out the possibility of him being considered or at least granted an interview. His brief tenure as the defensive coordinator with the Rams has garnered attention from various front offices, making him one of the notable names in the coaching market.

The key question now revolves around whether LaFleur intends to stick with a defensive scheme akin to Fangio’s or explore a different approach. Staley’s defensive scheme closely resembles the one Barry implemented in Green Bay, a system that drew frustration from fans and, to some extent, players.

Barry has only been without a job for two days, and Staley is the first reported candidate to be interviewing for his former position. It’s anticipated that more interviews will follow, and it’s possible that Staley might secure a different coaching opportunity before the Packers conclude their selection process.