If anyone was worried that Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was going to drag his feet on his search for a new defensive coordinator, they were very much mistaken. The decision to fire embattled defensive coordinator Joe Barry was made on Wednesday and, already, Green Bay has been officially linked to four different candidates to replace him.
Former Los Angeles Chargers head coach and Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley was the first known candidate to interview for the Packers’ defensive coordinator position. Staley previously worked with Barry in 2020 when both were with the Rams. If hired, he would run a style of defense very similar to the one Barry ran in Green Bay over the past three seasons.
In addition to Staley, news broke on Friday that the Packers have requested permission to interview two other candidates. The first is Bobby Babich, the linebackers coach for the Buffalo Bills. Babich has been with Buffalo since 2017 and took over as linebackers coach when his father, Bob Babich, retired in 2021. The New York Giants have already interviewed Babich for their own defensive coordinator opening.
The second coach that the Packers have reportedly requested permission to interview is Dallas Cowboys defensive line coach Aden Durde. Born in Middlesex, England, Durde played professionally in Europe before joining Dan Quinn’s staff when he was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Green Bay is one of three teams who have requested permission to interview Durde.
