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Inside Linebacker Position Could Flourish Under Joe Barry

When Joe Barry was hired to replace Mike Pettine as Green Bay’s defensive coordinator, many wondered what a “Joe Barry” defense would look like. Pettine became notorious for a “bend don’t break” style of play which included plenty of dime (six defensive backs) defense. He also didn’t ask much of his inside linebackers. That’s likely to change under Barry.

For starters, Barry’s background is extensive when it comes to linebackers, including playing inside linebacker in college at USC. While Barry has had previous stints as a defensive coordinator, both with the Detroit Lions and Washington Football Team, he most recently served as the Assistant Head Coach and linebackers coach for the Rams between 2017 and 2020.