Fire Joe Barry?

Why?

First of all, Barry's 2023 Packer defense is actually performing as well or better than the previous 6 defenses he coordinated (including the last 2 seasons in Green Bay). So why would anyone be surprised by the results?

Second, firing Joe Barry at this stage would indicate that coordinating a below average unit with 8 1st round picks (7 if you exclude Stokes) and 3 highly-compensated free agents on it was unacceptable when, in reality, having a mediocre to bad defense has been the norm in Green Bay for the past 13 seasons.

Third, everyone outside of the man who hired him and the few remaining apologists for the hire know that Joe Barry should never have been hired. They also know he should have been fired after last season. Why bring attention to those poor decisions and fire someone under contract like Barry 4 games into the season ... unless the goal was to try and get the best product on the field?

Perhaps the next cast should ask the same of Butkus/Stenovich.

Ultimately, the key problem isn’t either, although they are certainly problems.

Without an obvious replacement in house, the key question on firing now is whether having Barry or Stenovich/Butkus out of the room has more value than the possible temporary downgrade in experience. I tend to think there’s a stronger case for that being true of Stenovich/Butkus.

Really though, the true source of ire here is that we failed to replace Barry last off season and are now seeing exactly the same failings. Nothing has changed, as you say. The problem isn’t Barry in isolation it’s the person who hired and retained him, who sets the tone on both sides of the ball.

LaFleur is not going to hire or manage the kind of person you seem to call for. It’s at odds with his personality, with how he runs his team and staff. There’s a better argument for saying leave the coaches this year and replace LaFleur.

Bring in a person with a much more assertive concept of expectations and mindset to change the understanding of both coaches and players as to what’s expected what won’t be tolerated. That may include having the knowledge to tell them that they are going to do this or not that this week. Who knows, that may get more out of Barry and co.

Yes, Murphy is unlikely to do that, but that’s on him. It is not a good reason for us to focus on symptoms, not the root cause. I actually think it would be more feasible to promote Bissacia or pay a semi retired HC to come in and shake things up for the year given our coaching resources than to replace Barry or Stenovich.

LaFleur being removed now is both more practical and more likely to be effective in season. Drag someone like Dennis Green out of retirement if Bissacia isn’t seen as an option. He’d shake up Barry. There are some others too.

Yes. Let’s spend the entire offseason reviewing film and making plans, and then let’s panic because we’re 2-2 in September.

Sheeesh.

I am going to comment to this even though I stoutly refuse to listen to this podcast.

All of the fan comments here are valid. Yes, it starts at the top with MM. But MM seems to have a tight hold on this organization through its non-football BOD. How much are car dealers and bankers going to influence football decisions. Argh.

Barry has been an abject failure as a DC throughout his career. He shouldn't have been hired in the first place. Most certainly, he should have been fired last season. But it seems that the nice guy bromance of MLF and Barry trumps all winning logic - MM interference aside.

MLF is not strong. His hires and staff - outside of Rich B - are politely, subpar. He and Barry may find a solution for 1 game but I have ZERO confidence it will longer term or sustainable. We need a DC who is aggressive and can offer options of his own - not ask his offensively minded HC to help him with defensive scheming? It's ridiculous! The question is can MLF work with a tough minded football personality (Rich B aside)?

I still think the best short term/in-house solution is to fire Barry and put Rich B in there temporarily. You can then take some time and find a replacement DC. A replacement would eventually weed out the poor coaches underneath him.

MLF can't scapegoat Rodgers this year to keep his job next year. Barry stays. For now.

Fire Joe Barry……,,, is an elephant heavy?