The Green Bay Packers have the opportunity to land one of the top defensive coordinators in the league if they plan to move on from Joe Barry following the postseason. Barry has been on the hot seat this season as the Packers defense has been gashed in inopportune moments.
Barry’s defense has been praised in recent weeks by head coach Matt LaFleur. His defenses pitched top-notch performances against the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears to end the season. The defense is arguably the main reason the Packers are heading to the playoffs to face the Dallas Cowboys next week.
It’s still unknown if Barry has done enough to warrant a return in 2024. Many Packers fans and pundits want Barry’s zone defense out of Green Bay, regardless of what happens in the Packers postseason. That group has to be excited about the recent development with the New York Giants.
The Green Bay Packers could land an elite DC for 2025
According to Ian Rapoport with the NFL Network, New York Giants defensive coordinator Don Martindale offered his resignation Monday.
The resignation was stunning, as “Wink” Martindale is considered one of the top defensive coordinators in the league. Pro Football Focus ranked Martindale as the sixth-best defensive coordinator before the 2023 season:
“Martindale may have moved from Baltimore to New York for his defensive coordinator duties, but his aggressive nature and play calling remained intact — and successful. No team in the NFL last year played more Cover 0 or Cover 1 (man coverage) than the Giants.
Their coverage and pass-rush units were in sync, yielding 136 pressures and 24 sacks while in man coverage. At 60 years old and with 18 years of NFL experience, Martindale is still dialing it up with the best of them.”
Martindale won Super Bowl XLVII as the linebackers coach with the Baltimore Ravens. He assumed the defensive coordinator role in Baltimore for the 2018 season. Martindale left to take the Giants defensive coordinator job in 2022, helping to lead the team to the postseason last year.
The Packers should aggressively target Martindale for their defensive coordinator job in 2024. He’d be an upgrade for a Packers defense with a secondary begging to play more man coverage.
