Packers Hire Joe Barry as Defensive Coordinator

Joe Barry will get his third crack at running an NFL defense after failed stints with undermanned Detroit and Washington.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur pivoted from the flashy college star to the tested veteran in hiring Joe Barry to be his defensive coordinator.

Barry’s hiring was reported first by ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. A source confirmed the move.

“He knows his [stuff],” the source said. “He’s really smart. I thought he’d be a head coach by now. He’s a hell of a coach and a great guy.”

After University of Wisconsin defensive coordinator and former NFL safety Jim Leonhard told LaFleur on Friday that he had elected to stay at his alma mater, LaFleur turned from the 38-year-old Wisconsin native to the 50-year-old Barry.

While Leonhard has assembled quite the résumé in his four seasons running the Badgers’ powerful defense, Barry will get his third chance to run a defense after failing miserably at his two previous stops.

In 2007 and 2008 with the Detroit Lions, Barry’s defenses finished 32nd in yards and points allowed both seasons. One of his top players was linebacker Paris Lenon. Lenon started a total of 16 games in four seasons with the Packers but all 32 games for Barry while recording a total of 240 tackles.

The results were better, but only comparatively so, in running Washington’s defense in 2015 and 2016. In his first year, it finished 28th in yards and 17th in points as it qualified for the playoffs. In his second and final season, it finished 28th in yards and 19th in points. That team had massive deficiencies on the defensive line and inside linebacker.

Added together, his four defenses never finished better than 28th in yards allowed, 23rd against the run or 25th against the pass, nor did it crack the top half of the league in scoring.

“I think the way you grow, the way you get better, it’s not when things are easy and comfortable,” Barry said after being hired by Washington. “When things are tough, that’s when you learn.”

Of course, a coordinator’s success is highly dependent on his players. In terms of scoring, Washington was 29th in 2014 before Barry, 17th in 2015 and 19th in 2016 with Barry, and 27th under Greg Manusky in 2017. Detroit was 30th in 2006 before Barry, 32nd in 2007 and 2008 with Barry, and 32nd again under Gunther Cunningham in 2009.

In 2017, Barry joined Sean McVay’s new staff with the Los Angeles Rams as assistant head coach/linebackers. LaFleur was the offensive coordinator.

Barry was supposed to join the Los Angeles Chargers as linebackers coach and defensive passing game coordinator under new coach Brandon Staley. Staley was the Rams' defensive coordinator in 2020. The Rams led the NFL in points allowed in 2020 after finishing 17th in 2019 and not cracking the top 10 since reaching the Super Bowl in 2001.

Barry runs a 3-4 defense. He was in Washington when it drafted Preston Smith. Outside linebackers Smith and Za'Darius Smith, defensive tackle Kenny Clark, cornerback Jaire Alexander and safety Darnell Savage give Barry the starting point for a defensive unit that he did not have at his previous stops.

“He’s downhill,” said the source, who was critical of former coordinator Mike Pettine’s approach against Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady in the NFC Championship Game.

Pettine put together a solid stint in charge but the signature performances were more black eyes than shining moments. In 2019, the Packers finished ninth in points allowed, their best showing since winning the Super Bowl in 2010. In 2020, they finished ninth in total defense (yards allowed), also their best showing since 2010. In the five December games to end the regular season, Green Bay was No. 4 in points allowed. However, his unit fell short in NFC Championship Games the past two seasons.

Whether Barry’s the right guy is anyone’s guess. Ultimately, LaFleur went with experience over youth (Rams safeties coach Ejiro Evero) and sticking with the 3-4 rather than going with someone with a 4-3 background (defensive backs coach Jerry Gray, who, like Barry, is a two-time coordinator).

Barry played his college ball at USC. As a senior in 1993, he started seven games at inside linebacker. His father, Mike Barry, coached the offensive line at USC from 1993 through 1997 and also with the Detroit Lions during his son’s stint as defensive coordinator.