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Fans were left scratching their heads when the Green Bay Packers hired Joe Barry as their new defensive coordinator, but it became clear Matt LaFleur wanted to mold the defense around the system Vic Fangio ran in both Chicago and San Francisco.
Now it is up to Barry to find a way to do so with the Packers’ personnel.
However he should not find himself so deep in the system that he cannot adapt. A good coach fits his scheme to the players, not the other way around. That is what ultimately doomed Dom Capers as defensive coordinator and Barry of course would be wise to avoid making the same mistakes.
He inherits a talented secondary featuring shutdown corner Jaire Alexander and a pass rush spearheaded by Za’Darius Smith. These parts of the defense need minimal changes instead of a total overhaul. Barry should be able to provide that.
Meanwhile, the words most often to describe Barry by those who have played for him include passion, energy, and enthusiasm. If anyone was concerned about the lack of fire on defense for Green Bay, that apparently won’t be a problem under Barry.
Ultimately no one knows how Barry will work out but Packers fans should utilize an open mind as they continue to process this hire.
The talent is there for the most part. The defense just needs a good strategist and time will telll how Barry will perform in that role.
Joe Barry must adapt Rams’ defensive scheme to Packers’ personnel—PackersNews.com
A few more pieces on defense oils definitely help, especially a certain former Badger who was originally drafted by Houston.
Blackmon: Barry Brings Work Ethic, Passion, Motivation—Packers Central
Will Blackmon played in Green Bay as well as for Barry so his is a voice a lot of fans should listen to.
Choosing the MVP of MVPs: Which was the best from the Lombardi years?—Packers.com
Asking a Packers fan to pick the best of the best from the Lombardi era is like asking someone to pick a favorite child. They just can’t do it.
Keep, cut or restructure? Packers have moves to make before free agency—ESPN
One domino already fell with the conversion of some of David Bakhtiari’s contract but more pieces are to fall into place yet. Fortunately the Packers have plenty of options even if some are potentially painful.
Washington’s Hair Up For Sale At Quirky President’s Day Auction—Huffington Post
Someone cloning George Washington sounds like something from a movie but in 2021 that can’t really be ruled out either.