15 Candidates for Packers to Replace Defensive Coordinator Joe Barry
GREEN BAY, Wis. – With the decision to part ways with Joe Barry, Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur’s offseason to-do list will be led off with hiring a new defensive coordinator.
The crop of candidates remains strong. Most of the head-coaching vacancies have not been filled, meaning those teams will need coordinators, too. In fact, the only coordinator role filled was by Jacksonville, which hired Ryan Nielsen.
Here is an updated list of potential coordinator candidates, most of which were mentioned by league sources and agents. Given how Green Bay finished the season and with the high-profile players on the roster, this should be a coveted position.
Don “Wink” Martindale, ex-defensive coordinator, New York Giants
Martindale didn’t make his mark in New York and is out after two years alongside Brian Daboll. However, he was one of the most highly regarded coordinators while in Baltimore. With the Ravens, Martindale’s units finished first in yards and second points in 2018, fourth in yards and third in points in 2019 and seventh in yards and second in points in 2020 before falling to 25th in yards and 19th in points in 2021.
This year, the Giants finished 26th in points but tied for first with 31 takeaways. In their 24-22 victory in December, the Giants were the only team to hold Jordan Love in check during the second half of the season.
Martindale operates out of a 3-4 scheme and will blitz off the bus; the Giants had the second-highest blitz rate in the NFL this season.
Suggested by one league source, Martindale’s track record would provide immediate buy-in and he’d bring a more fiery demeanor than Barry.
“Coach Martindale’s a guy that I’ve had experience going against quite a few times when he was in Baltimore,” LaFleur said before the December matchup. “He kicked the crap out of us when I was in Tennessee and he was in Baltimore. That was a humbling day.
“He’s a guy that he does a great job putting people in position, and he presents a lot of different challenges for an offense. I got a ton of respect for what he’s capable of doing and what he’s done over the course of his career.”
Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator, Carolina Panthers
Evero, who interviewed for the position in 2021, is a candidate for a few head-coaching positions, including in Carolina. If he is bypassed for all those opportunities, he’d probably be intrigued by Green Bay’s talent on defense and LaFleur would be happy to have a fresh face leading a familiar scheme.
The Panthers finished 29th in points allowed in 2023 but a superior sixth in yards allowed per play.
“He’s done a hell of a job,” LaFleur said before the Packers played at Carolina last month. “You saw it a year ago in Denver what he did there, and you see the carryover this year with a whole new group. I’ve got a lot of respect for Ejiro. He’s a great communicator, he’s demanding, he holds guys accountable, and just got a ton of respect for what he’s been able to accomplish.
“You see it on tape. They’re very well coached, first of all. He’s got a really good scheme. Nice wrinkles to it. I think they play very competitive, really on all three levels, and you definitely see how hard they play. It jumps off the tape. They’re top-10 in a lot of categories, [including] yards per play, and I think those are a pretty telling category. So, I think he’s done a really, really good job.”
The risk of hiring Evero is he’d probably be a head-coaching candidate next offseason and LaFleur might have to hire another coordinator.
Jerry Gray, assistant head coach/defense, Atlanta Falcons
Gray was the strong suggestion by one player agent and one league source. Gray – aka “Coach OG” – spent the 2020 through 2022 seasons as Green Bay’s defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator. He was a beloved figure to the defensive backs, including cornerback Jaire Alexander, who earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2020 and 2022.
Due in part to Gray, the Falcons improved from 23rd to 18th in points, 27th to 11 in yards and 29th to 18th in yards.
Gray was the Bills’ defensive coordinator from 2001 through 2005 and the Titans’ defensive coordinator from 2011 through 2013. In those eight years, his units finished in the top 10 in scoring three times but in the bottom 10 on four occasions. He’s familiar with Green Bay’s personnel and would improve the discipline on that side of the ball.
Ron Rivera, ex-coach, Washington Commanders
Rivera was the first coach mentioned on Monday by another player agent, who believed Rivera would be interested.
Rivera has quite a background, beginning as defensive coordinator for the Bears (2004 through 2006) and Chargers (2008 through 2010). With the Commanders the last four seasons, his defenses were like a yo-yo: fourth in points and second in yards in 2020, 25th in points and 22nd in yards in 2021, seventh in points and third in yards in 2022 and 32nd in points and 27th in yards in 2023.
In 19 years as a coach or coordinator, his defenses finished in the top 10 in scoring seven times and in the top 10 in yards 10 times.
Anthony Weaver, associate head coach/defensive line, Baltimore Ravens
ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky mentioned Weaver should be a candidate. It’s a good call.
Weaver started 98 games as a defensive lineman for the Ravens and Texans from 2002 through 2008. He got his first shot as an NFL assistant under Rex Ryan with the Jets in 2012. He served as the Texans’ defensive line coach from 2016 through 2019, a dominant unit with J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney. In 2020, he got a shot as defensive coordinator but Houston finished 27th in points, 30th in total defense and 32nd in rushing defense.
He’s in his third season running the Ravens’ defensive line. That unit is a force. The Ravens this season finished first in points allowed, sixth in yards per game and third in yards per play. Baltimore under coordinator Mike Macdonald operates out of a 3-4 and is an infrequent blitzer.
Chris Hewitt, passing-game coordinator, secondary coach, Baltimore Ravens
Since taking over the Ravens’ secondary in 2015 through 2022, the Ravens ranked first in total defense, second in points allowed, second on third down and sixth in opponent passer rating. It was more of the same this year with Baltimore ranking No. 1 in opponent passer rating.
Packers director of football operations Milt Hendrickson would have known Hewitt from 2012 (as assistant special teams coach) through 2018. As a player, Hewitt went undrafted in 1997 but played in 39 games in three seasons with the Saints.
“Everybody has always responded to him,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh once said. “He has that kind of personality. He’s a no-nonsense kind of a guy. That’s the way he played. [He was] one of the biggest hitters you’ll ever see as a football player, so I think he transfers that kind of a mindset to the way he coaches.”
Daniel Bullocks, defensive backs coach, San Francisco 49ers
A second-round pick in the 2006 draft, Bullocks is in his seventh season with the 49ers. After serving as safeties coach the past four seasons, he’s in his first year as defensive backs coach. The Niners finished ninth in points allowed in 2021, first in in 2022 and third in 2023. They led the NFL in interceptions each of the past two seasons.
On Saturday night, his secondary helped slow down red-hot Packers quarterback Jordan Love. Starting with the final play of the third quarter, Love finished the game 5-of-10 passing for 19 yards and two interceptions.
Anthony Campanile, linebackers coach, Miami Dolphins
Campanile completed his fourth season on the job for Miami, with it ranking 10th with 4.2 yards allowed per carry during that span, including a sixth-ranked 3.81 yards allowed per carry in 2023. This year, he worked under the esteemed Vic Fangio. Thus, he’d arrive in Green Bay running a similar style of defense while bringing a new and more intense voice.
Starting with an ode to Vince Lombardi, this profanity-laced clip from “Hard Knocks” personifies his approach. “All over the world, they speak ass whopping.”
Chris Harris, defensive passing-game coordinator, Titans
In eight seasons as an NFL safety, Harris started 88 games and intercepted 16 passes and forced 13 fumbles. He’s been coaching for the last decade, including 2020 through 2022 as defensive backs coach in Washington. In his debut season with the Titans, they ranked 27th in opponent passer rating.
He interviewed for the Packers’ coordinator vacancy that went to Barry in 2021 and for the 49ers’ coordinator opening in 2023.
Harris has worked under 4-3 and 3-4 schemes; the Titans operate out of a 3-4.
Aubrey Pleasant, defensive passing-game coordinator, Rams
Pleasant spent the end of the 2022 season as a coaching consultant for LaFleur.
“He’s a really knowledgeable guy when it comes to the game, and I thought he could bring a different perspective to our offensive staff just seeing it through the lens of a defensive coach,” LaFleur said at the time. “He’s a guy that I’ve always really respected how he works. I think that perspective has been helpful, not only game-planning but also to really see ourselves, how a defensive coach might break us down and see us, so we, hopefully, can stay as unpredictable as possible.”
Pleasant, a starting safety at Wisconsin in 2008, was the Rams’ cornerbacks coach from 2017 through 2020. During that span, his group ranked second in interceptions. The Rams in 2023 finished 12th in opponent passer rating. He’d operate out of a familiar 3-4 scheme.
Joe Cullen, defensive line coach, Chiefs
As part of the staff of esteemed coordinator Steve Spanguolo, who leads a blitz-happy style of play, the Chiefs won the Super Bowl in 2022 and have advanced to this week’s AFC Championship Game. The 2023 Chiefs finished second in scoring and third in yards. Cullen leads a havoc-creating unit.
Cullen was defensive coordinator for the Jaguars in 2021. That was a disaster – they finished 28th in points allowed and 20th in total defense, though that was better than the 2020 numbers.
Patrick Graham, defensive coordinator, Las Vegas Raiders
Graham, the Packers’ linebackers coach and defensive run-game coordinator in 2018, is a candidate to be head coach in Seattle. If that doesn’t happen, he might return to the Raiders as coordinator for new coach Antonio Pierce.
Graham just completed his fifth season as a coordinator, with one year in Miami, two with the Giants and two with the Raiders. This year’s team finished ninth in points allowed, one spot better than Green Bay.
Graham’s base defense with the Giants was 3-4; it’s 4-3 with the Raiders. That blending of styles was learned during his seven seasons with Bill Belichick.
“You say 4-3, 3-4, 2-4, 3-3-5, whatever you want to say, I’ll say yes,” Graham said when introduced in Las Vegas in 2022.
Marquand Manuel, defensive backs/safeties coach, New York Jets
With more than a decade as an NFL assistant coach, Manuel just completed his third season in the Big Apple. The Jets finished second in opponent passer rating each of the last two seasons.
He was the Falcons’ defensive coordinator in 2017 and 2018; the 2017 team finished eighth in points and ninth in yards but the 2018 team finished 25th in points and 28th in yards.
Before becoming a coach, he enjoyed an eight-year NFL career that included a career-high 16 starts for the Packers in 2006, when he had a pick-six and 81 tackles.
Jim Leonhard, ex-defensive coordinator, Wisconsin Badgers
Leonhard, the Wisconsin native and former Wisconsin star, was the man behind some powerhouse defenses with the Badgers. When LaFleur was looking to replace Mike Pettine after the 2020 season, Leonhard was offered the job but turned it down because of his loyalties to UW. Leonhard is a 3-4 coach from the attacking Rex Ryan coaching tree.
Last year, the Badgers hired Luke Fickell instead of Leonhard, so Leonhard went to Illinois as senior analyst. Would LaFleur bother to call again? Would Leonhard listen if LaFleur did call? Or does he like the low-stress job and family stability of staying with the Illini?
Mike Vrabel, ex-coach, Tennessee Titans
Vrabel is an interesting name and, perhaps, an unrealistic option. In six seasons in Tennessee, he led the Titans to a 54-45 record and three trips to the playoffs. A purveyor of 3-4 defenses, his units ranked third in points allowed in 2018 and sixth in 2021 before slipping to 14th and 16th the last two years.
Do Vrabel and LaFleur even like each other? It’s a fair question; before LaFleur became Packers coach in 2019, Vrabel reportedly had considered replacing LaFleur as his offensive coordinator in 2018. And late in a 2022 game at Lambeau Field, with the Titans have secured a victory, Vrabel’s offense threw a bomb.
Speaking of the Titans’ defense before that 2022 matchup, LaFleur said: “They’re coached well, they play extremely hard and they’re very physical.”
