Joe Barry Fired by Redskins: Latest Comments and Reaction

Washington fired defensive coordinator Joe Barry on Thursday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (h/t Marc Sessler of NFL.com). 

The team announced defensive line coach Robb Akey, strength and conditioning coach Mike Clark and defensive backs coach Perry Fewell have also been fired.

Barry spent the past two seasons as Washington's defensive coordinator, and the unit struggled under his watch. The defense ranked 28th in yards allowed the past two seasons, finishing 17th in points allowed (23.7) in 2015 and 19th in points allowed (23.9) this season. They were also 17th in takeaways this season.

As Sessler noted, "Barry's defense failed to generate a takeaway in four of their final six games and allowed 140-plus yards on the ground in each of their final three tilts."

Washington missed the postseason this year, and Barry's defense was a major culprit in that failure. As Mark Maske of the Washington Post noted, his hire was perhaps ill-fated from the start:

It may not be the end of Washington's shake-up in the coaching staff, however, as offensive coordinator Sean McVay is one of the hottest names in the head coaching market. If McVay departs, head coach Jay Gruden will have to almost completely rebuild his coaching staff this offseason.

Jerry Brewer of the Washington Post listed Gus Bradley, Mike Pettine, Wade Phillips and Leslie Frazier as potential targets for the defensive coordinator gig.

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