GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Matt LaFleur's decision to keep Joe Barry as defensive coordinator for at least the rest of this season suggests that the Green Bay Packers' coach believes there are other factors at work in his team's recent defensive struggles.
And while it's true it wasn't long ago -- two weeks, in fact -- that Barry's unit was top 10 in the NFL in scoring defense, the problems that resurfaced in the past two games (both losses) are more emblematic of what the Packers have looked like far too often during Barry's three seasons as coordinator.
That's why there was such an outcry by fans for LaFleur to move on from Barry after Sunday's 34-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Baker Mayfield's near perfect game. Mayfield threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns, which equated to the maximum possible passer rating (158.3). That came six days after the New York Giants became the fourth team this season to rush for more than 200 yards against the Packers.
So when LaFleur said this week that, "If I thought [making a coordinator change] was the best solution today, then we'd make that decision," it opened the door for questions about what else could be at issue.
Here's a look at five reasons (other than Barry) why the Packers defense has struggled:
1. The Jaire Alexander mystery
How can a player practice week after week yet never play? That's been the situation with the former All-Pro cornerback for the past five weeks. Alexander hasn't played since Nov. 5, when he injured his shoulder against the Rams.
He returned to practice on Nov. 16 but has been inactive every week. In all, he has missed six straight games because of the shoulder (and three more earlier in the season because of a back injury) but never went on injured reserve, which would have freed up a roster spot for at least four games.
It's led to rampant speculation that Alexander, the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL at nearly $22 million a year, is sitting out for reasons beyond his injury and that he's unhappy with the current direction of the defense.
However, a source close to Alexander said it's strictly injury related, and "all that other stuff has had nothing to do with him not playing."
In some ways, it's similar to what left tackle David Bakhtiari has gone through during his journey back from his knee injury. In some cases, a team can medically clear a player, but the player doesn't feel like he can perform.
Alexander said two weeks ago this is not an injury he can play through because, "I feel like if I can't put my best foot forward, then it's tough to be even be out there."
When asked if they miscalculated how long Alexander would be out or if there's something more than just the medical situation that is keeping him out, LaFleur said, "I'd say it's more of a miscalculation," but he did not elaborate. In fact, most inquiries about Alexander recently have been met with brief and sometimes curt reactions from LaFleur.
2. The Rasul Douglas trade
Had the Packers known how difficult the Alexander situation would become, perhaps they would not have traded Douglas to the Bills right before the Oct. 31 deadline.
Without Douglas and Alexander, Barry has played most of the past two months with rookie seventh-round pick Carrington Valentine and journeyman Corey Ballentine as the two cornerbacks in the base defense (along with nickel corner Keisean Nixon). Former first-round pick Eric Stokes came off injured reserve last week and played for the first time in more than a year.
The trade came as somewhat of a surprise at the time. General manager Brian Gutekunst said then that he wasn't looking to trade Douglas, but the offer -- a third- and fifth-round pick -- was too good to pass up. It gives the Packers five picks in the first three rounds of next year's draft.
The problem was that Alexader got hurt just days later, leaving the Packers without their top three cornerbacks (including Stokes, who was still on IR).
The Packers are tied for 29th in the NFL in interceptions this season with six; only one team (Washington with four) has fewer.
3. De'Vondre Campbell's dilemma
The inside linebacker is either Exhibit A for why players can be reluctant to play hurt or Exhibit A for why it's risky to give a big contract to a player who seemingly came out of nowhere and had a standout season.
Campbell -- who was an All-Pro selection in 2021 after the Packers signed him off the street to a one-year deal late in that offseason -- has not matched that level of play since he signed a five-year, $50 million contract the following offseason. So far this season he has missed four games (three because of an ankle injury and one with a neck injury) but has played in the past three games.
It was after the Bucs game that he posted on social media that he would no longer play hurt because "they always use it against you." Campbell refused to identify whether the "they" in that comment was in reference to the coaches, fans or media criticizing his play.
However, LaFleur responded by allowing Campbell to sit out practice in order to "get his body right."
Campbell and 2022 first-round pick Quay Walker were supposed to form a formidable combination in the middle of the defense, yet they've played together for only 315 of 900 possible defensive snaps this season. Walker has missed three games (two because of a groin injury and one because of a shoulder ailment).
4. Miscalculation of talent
Here's how it usually works within an organization when a team struggles: The coaches think the personnel department hasn't given them enough talent, and the personnel department thinks the coaches haven't developed or utilized the talent properly.
Gutekunst has used all but one of his first-round picks on the defensive side of the ball since he took over as GM in 2018. Eight of those defensive first-rounders remain on the roster.
It's possible Gutekunst picked the wrong players, or perhaps some of those young players are still developing. Among those high picks still early in their career are Walker, fellow 2022 first-round pick Devonte Wyatt and 2023 first-rounder Lukas Van Ness. There are other up-and-coming defensive players who have potential such as defensive linemen Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks along with defensive backs Valetine and Anthony Johnson Jr.
And it's possible Barry and his staff should have played someone like third-year linebacker Isaiah McDuffie more often considering he showed some promise while filling in for Campbell and Walker.
5. No standout individual performances
Every good defense needs a star or two -- a ball-hawking defensive back who picks off passes, a smothering tackler who forces fumbles or a dominant pass-rusher.
The closest thing the Packers have in any of those categories is Rudy Ford, a part-time starter at safety with a team-high two interceptions; defensive tackle Kenny Clark with two forced fumbles and a career-best 6.5 sacks and outside linebacker Rashan Gary with a team-high 9.0 sacks.
The Packers haven't had anyone on defense win NFC Defensive Player of the Week since Douglas in Week 12 in 2021.