Despite helping the Green Bay Packers unexpectedly reach the NFC’s divisional round, where they nearly ousted the top-seeded San Francisco 49ers, Joe Barry was relieved of his duties as defensive coordinator on January 24.
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the 53-year-old may not be out of a job for long because he’s set to interview with the Philadelphia Eagles for a position on the defensive staff under new DC Vic Fangio.
Specifically, according to NFL Network’s Jane Slater, he’ll be interviewing to be the team’s linebackers coach. Barry is also in line to interview with the Chicago Bears, according to Russini and Slater.
Former Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry will interview for jobs on the defensive staffs for both the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears, per sources. Philly up first…
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 26, 2024
If Barry were to accept a job in Philadelphia, one has to think that he would take on extra responsibilities and play a significant role in attempting to help Fangio and head coach Nick Sirianni turn around a unit that took a big step back in 2023.
The Eagles’ Defense Allowed the 3rd Most Points in the NFL in 2023
If Barry were to join the Eagles, he’d be expected to help clean up a Philadelphia defense that allowed 25.2 points per game during the regular season and another 32 in the wild-card round loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Eagles fire defensive coordinator Sean Desai after one season with teamhttps://t.co/MIezGzLMdS pic.twitter.com/LYi0213ysY
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) January 22, 2024
And that could present a challenge, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia.
“If Barry ends up coaching the Eagles’ linebackers, he might not have much to work with,” Dave Zangaro wrote on January 26. “The Eagles’ top off-ball backers in 2023 ended up being Zach Cunningham and Nicholas Morrow. Cunningham didn’t sign until August and Morrow didn’t even make the initial 53-man roster.”
Over their final seven regular-season games, of which they won just two, the Eagles gave up 31.3 points per game. While Sirianni allowed defensive coordinator Sean Desai to keep his title, he handed control of the defense to Matt Patricia, who obviously didn’t do a much better job.
Desai, of course, was fired, and according to NFL.com, Patricia, who was not under contract, is expected to explore other opportunities. Barry could take on the Patricia role as the Eagles’ No. 2 guy on the defensive staff under Fangio.
Joe Barry Would Bring a Wealth of NFL Experience to the Eagles
After spending five years in the college ranks as a defensive assistant, Joe Barry took his first job in the NFL with the 49ers in 2000 as a defensive quality control coach.
A year later, he was hired as a linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with whom he spent six seasons and won a Super Bowl. Barry then took his biggest role yet as he was named the Detroit Lions‘ defensive coordinator ahead of the 2007 campaign.
But after Detroit went 0-16 in 2008, he was fired, at which point he returned to Tampa and spent another season as the Bucs’ linebackers coach.
#Packers DC Joe Barry has an interview with the #Eagles today for their linebackers coach position and will meet with the #Bears tomorrow about a position on their defensive staff per source
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) January 26, 2024
After two seasons in the same role at USC, Barry returned to the NFL in 2012 to become the linebackers coach of the then-San Diego Chargers, with whom he spent three years before taking the defensive coordinator position with the franchise now known as the Washington Commanders.
Fired after two seasons, Barry was hired by the Los Angeles Rams as an assistant head coach to Sean McVay while also serving in a familiar role as the team’s linebackers coach. After four seasons in LA, during which he helped the Rams to a Super Bowl appearance, Barry was named the Packers’ DC ahead of the 2021 season.
In his first season in Green Bay, Barry’s defense ranked ninth overall. And that was despite missing Pro Bowlers Za’Darius Smith and Jaire Alexander for most of the season. After a dropoff in 2022, the Packers bounced back a touch in 2023, allowing the 10th-fewest points in the league.
