Hiring Joe Barry as the Packers’ defensive coordinator is one of the great errors of the Matt LaFleur era. The Packers’ 2021 defense was respectable, but things went downhill quickly under Barry’s guidance, though he’d hang on through the end of the 2023 season.

But on the occasion of the Packers facing the Carolina Panthers, we have the opportunity to thank one of the key contributors to the end of Barry’s tenure: Bryce Young.

Late in the 2023 season, the Packers were desperately trying to rally for a playoff spot and traveled to Carolina in Week 16 with their season on life support. Things were dire in part because of a defensive dumpster fire performance the previous week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Baker Mayfield put up a perfect 158.3 passer rating, shredding Barry’s defense f

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