Matt LaFleur found his next defensive coordinator, but it wasn’t his first choice. LaFleur reportedly offered the job to Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, but Leonhard chose to remain at his alma mater rather than transition to the NFL. That pushed LaFleur into hiring Joe Barry, the team confirmed Monday.
LaFleur narrowed his search down to Barry and Leonhard, which is interesting because the two come from very different backgrounds. Barry has been in the NFL for virtually all of the two decades. He served as a defensive coordinator for both the Detroit Lions and Washington Football Team, but neither stints lasted more than two seasons.