Green Bay Packers hired a new defensive coordinator yesterday. Joe Barry is taking over. We assessed the pros and the cons of Barry yesterday. Also yesterday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein wrote a great piece on what the Packers plan to do defensively, and how Matt LaFleur wants his defense to look like Vic Fangio’s. Silverstein explains that Green Bay has most of the pieces minus a rangey middle linebacker. Did the Packers tip their hand for what they’re looking for in April?

The 3-4 alignment means the Packers won’t have to retool their defense. They have the outside linebackers (Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith, Rashan Gary) and dominant interior player (Kenny Clark) that Fangio had in San Francisco and Chicago and Staley had with the Rams. They are missing the big play inside linebackers that make the scheme especially difficult to beat

Green Bay has not emphasized middle linebackers in a long, long time. Maybe since the early days of Ted Thompson when they drafted A.J. Hawk. But this might make them a priority this offseason. Looking at the free-agent class plus the Packers impending cap doom, that is likely off the table. If you look at some middle linebackers that could be available around where the Packers pick, it’s worthwhile to get excited for some of those guys.

The top one on my list and others on Packers’ Twitter will be Jabril Cox. He went to North Dakota State then transferred to LSU last season. Cox is a guy that could start on day one for the Packers. He has the speed and size that you want in the middle. Pairing him with the talented Krys Barnes and Kamal Martin could make Green Bay’s inside linebackers’ special and dominant. Here’s a comparison from Matt Miller, and if that holds up, this dude will be special.

4. LSU, Jabril Cox

*6'4", 241 lbs / big boy NFL ready / excellent coverage instincts / closing speed ++ / hips for transitions / physical run fits

Comp: Tremaine Edmunds meets Sean Lee

— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) February 8, 2021

Brian Gutekunst is his own man though. We’ve seen him do different things than what is normal here. Green Bay could use another offensive tackle and it’s a loaded draft for those. They also need cornerback and interior defensive lineman. LaFleur and Gutekunst will likely work to figure out who are the top guys on the board that help the Packers immediately. And yes if Green Bay doesn’t draft a middle linebacker in Round 1, it doesn’t mean they’re screwed at this position.