The Redskins are rebuilding the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; hire Joe Barry as defensive coordinator

Hire Joe Barry, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebackers coach, 2001-2006 to be Redskins defensive coordinator?   CHECK.

UPDATE: Zac Boyer and Dianna Russini now report that the Redskins have made no final decision about Barry or any candidate for defensive coordinator.

The #Redskins haven't yet hired a DC. San Diego's Joe Barry may be the front-runner, but no agreement in place, per someone in the know.

— Zac Boyer (@ZacBoyer) January 14, 2015

Retain Raheem Morris, former DB coach and head coach of the Buccaneers, 2009-2011, in spite of the atrocious performance of the Redskins’ secondary?  CHECK.

Sign Doug Williams, former Buccaneers quarterback, 1978-1982, scout and administrator to be a Redskins front office executive?  CHECK.

(We don’t know what Williams does specifically, but it seems to be wrapped up in mentoring Robert Griffin III. How did that work out?)

Hire Jay Gruden, brother of former Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden, and former Buccaneers assistant coach, 2002-2008, to be Redskins head coach?  CHECK.

Jay Gruden may have “made the final decision” to hire Joe Barry as DC, but Hog Heaven is not swallowing the Kool-Aid on that. He may be competent, but it is too coincidental that Barry is also the son-in-law of Rod Marinelly, former assistant head coach/DL coach of the Buccaneers’ 2002 Super Bowl team.

DC sports media have already noted that a numbers of recent hires have a Tampa Bay connection or a personal relationship with team president Bruce Allen (cough, “McCloughan”). Barry is more evidence of that.

We think fans now gushing over McCloughan or Barry are being played. They are fans. They project their wish list onto every executive or player signed. Surely, those new hires will do what they would do. It’s sports entertainment. Fans are entitled to flights of fancy.

Professional managers must make strategic decisions. The Redskins have challenges there.

Executives hire execs they trust. The practice crosses industry lines. Favoring people with a Tampa Bay connection does not strike us strategic positioning for a Redskins competitive advantage.

Hog Heaven is not predicting Barry’s failure. We crave his success, but we are in “prove it” mode. The front office does not get the benefit of the doubt.

Jay Gruden, for example, is a huge miscast at head coach. Can we be sure Barry is better? Did the front office learn and grow from the Gruden decision?

Results are the only things that count. Hold your enthusiasm until December.

Here’s a list of the Buccaneers’ 2002 coaching staff. Some may be on the Redskins’ payroll soon. What’s Brad Johnson doing these days?

Source: Wikipedia