Right here we move once more. For the 5th life since firing Lovie Smith next the 2012 season, the Chicago Bears are looking for a fresh head schoolmaster.
The group fired Matt Eberflus on Friday and named offensive coordinator Thomas Brown the period in-between head schoolmaster.
Normal supervisor Ryan Poles is predicted to run the seek for an everlasting substitute. And that begins with Brown, who will have to be thought to be an actual candidate for the Bears’ emptiness. The then 5 video games will lend as prolonged interview for him.
Who else might be at the Bears’ radar? This is an early record of 15 doable applicants (in alphabetical sequence).
The weighty query: How a lot organizational democracy and regulate does Belichick need?
When you’re a group fascinated about Belichick, you’ll have to be keen to switch your construction to fit his calls for. In Unused England, Belichick was once in command of workforce and training. He reported to group proprietor Robert Kraft. The Bears aren’t aligned that manner.
Hiring Belichick, 72, could be a jolt to the Bears. He’s the best schoolmaster of all life, however his observe report next Tom Brady left Unused England is questionable. Belichick had just one profitable season next Brady bolted for Tampa Bay in 2020. Mac Jones, a first-round select in 2021, didn’t assemble right into a long-term starter, year the Patriots additionally had a handful of evil draft categories towards the top of Belichick’s tenure.
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Joe Brady, Expenses offensive coordinator
The weighty query: How a lot credit score does Brady truly deserve for Buffalo’s offensive good fortune?
Or is all of it about quarterback Josh Allen?
In January, Brady was once formally promoted to be the Expenses’ full-time offensive coordinator next dealing with the placement in an period in-between function extreme season next changing Ken Dorsey following a 5-5 get started. With Brady, Allen is having an MVP-worthy efficiency this season.
However Brady’s resume additionally contains two evil years because the Carolina Panthers’ offensive coordinator below former schoolmaster Matt Rhule. The Panthers fired Brady next a 5-7 get started all the way through the 2021 season. Brady, 35, was once rented through Carolina next one month as LSU’s passing sport coordinator and receivers schoolmaster all the way through the Tigers’ nationwide championship run in 2019.
Thomas Brown, Bears offensive coordinator
The weighty query: Will the buy-in from offensive gamers lift over to the defensive aspect?
The Bears’ choice to exchange Shane Waldron with Brown was once a favorable. He equipped the offense with construction and an id. The conversation additionally progressed at the side of the sport plans for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. However his demeanor, easy means and competitiveness additionally straight away resonated with Williams, receivers DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, tight ends Marcedes Lewis and Cole Kmet and others. Associate coaches additionally were given in the back of Brown.
Brown, 38, has gave the impression of a head schoolmaster in his weekly information meetings. It’s now not sudden that the Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans have interviewed him for his or her head schoolmaster openings over the day two seasons. He now has 5 video games to condition his case to the Bears.
Gazing Brown, Poles will have to have an concept if his reference to offensive gamers can lift over to the protection, which is stuffed with gifted veterans below oath. Brown was once the Rams’ laborer head schoolmaster below Sean McVay all the way through their Tremendous Bowl-winning season in 2020.
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Liam Coen, Buccaneers offensive coordinator
The weighty query: Does Coen have enough quantity NFL revel in?
As an extension of McVay’s training tree, Coen will likely be seen favorably through groups that need a head schoolmaster with an offensive background. However that is simplest Coen’s 5th season training within the NFL. He’s long past from side to side between the Rams and the College of Kentucky, the place he was once the group’s offensive coordinator and QBs schoolmaster extreme season. Coen, 39, was once a candidate for the Bears’ OC activity that was at Waldron. However he might be sticking with Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield for a minimum of yet another season.
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores has head training revel in, however with that comes considerations. (Michael Reaves / Getty Pictures)
Brian Flores, Vikings defensive coordinator
The weighty query: How neatly would Flores mesh with Caleb Williams?
When you’re the Bears, it’s a must to ask Flores, 43, about what Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa stated about taking part in for Mike McDaniel now next forming his occupation with him.
In August on “The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz,” Tagovailoa stated: “To put it in simplest terms, if you woke up every morning, and I told you that you suck at what you did, that you don’t belong doing what you do, that you shouldn’t be here, that this guy should be here, that you haven’t earned this right, and then you have somebody else come in and tell you, ‘Dude, you are the best fit for this. You are accurate, you are the best whatever, you are this, you are that.’ How would that make you feel, listening to one or the other?”
Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame head schoolmaster
The weighty query: Can Freeman conquer his rarity of NFL training revel in?
It could be too early for Freeman to noticeably entertain NFL hobby. But it surely wasn’t sudden that ESPN and NFL Community each indexed Freeman on their head schoolmaster candidate lists. Freeman, 38, poised a Notre Dame report for wins in his first 3 seasons. He’s grew to become the Combating Irish again into a countrywide energy. The Bears are too near to South Bend, Ind., to not realize what Freeman is doing. Plus, Freeman, a former linebacker, was once drafted through the Bears within the 5th around in 2009 out of Ohio Climate.
Aaron Glenn, Lions defensive coordinator
The weighty query: Who would Glenn carry alongside as his offensive coordinator?
The Lions are the favourite to win the Tremendous Bowl for plenty of causes, however their protection’s emergence as probably the most league’s very best is the principle extra from extreme season. Glenn, 52, has constructed a top-five unit in his fourth season. He’ll don’t have any defect checking off “the leader of men” areas for groups that interview him.
Glenn’s 25 years of NFL revel in — from Professional Bowl cornerback to scout to laborer schoolmaster to coordinator — will distant him from many others at the head schoolmaster circuit. He’d need to discover a excellent resolution for groups for his offensive coordinator, however he’s additionally been a part of a Lions group that has long past from worst to first in 4 years.
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will likely be a sizzling candidate, however he has deny head training revel in. (Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA These days Community)
Ben Johnson, Lions offensive coordinator
The weighty query: Do the Bears in fact enchantment to Johnson?
Deny candidate will have to have extra leverage in the marketplace than Johnson, who’s the architect and play games caller of Detroit’s high-powered offense. It will have to be obvious to all groups that Johnson will likely be choosy, too. Johnson, 38, got rid of himself from attention for the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders’ head schoolmaster openings extreme month.
groups may should be affected person with Johnson if the Lions build a Tremendous Bowl run. That might cruel lacking out on one of the very best laborer coaches and coordinator applicants, however Kyle Shanahan was once certainly utility the wait in San Francisco in 2017.
Jesse Minter, Chargers defensive coordinator
The weighty query: Is Minter the second one coming of Seahawks head schoolmaster Mike Macdonald?
Minter’s trail is related to Macdonald’s. There are too many Harbaugh connections to forget about. Minter labored for John Harbaugh for 4 seasons, the general one because the Ravens’ defensive backs schoolmaster in 2020, prior to becoming a member of Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. He was once the Wolverines’ defensive coordinator for 2 seasons, together with extreme month’s nationwide name run. Minter, 41, upcoming adopted Jim Harbaugh to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Macdonald was once the Ravens’ defensive coordinator the day two seasons next being Michigan’s DC in 2021. Earlier than becoming a member of the Wolverines, Macdonald was once on John Harbaugh’s workforce for seven seasons, the place he labored intently with Minter.
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Kellen Moore, Eagles offensive coordinator
The weighty query: What has Moore realized from operating with Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts?
Moore, 36, wouldn’t be a fresh identify added to the top training cycle. The Panthers and Chargers have interviewed him within the day. He turned into a candidate for what he did with the Dallas Cowboys as he fielded probably the most league’s very best offenses in 3 of his 4 seasons there. Moore, a former QB, didn’t have the similar good fortune extreme season with Herbert and the Chargers. However he has the zenith run offense this season in Philadelphia.
Drew Petzing, Cardinals offensive coordinator
The weighty query: Is Petzing’s frame of labor as a play games caller too restricted?
Petzing, 37, is an instance of the way prevalent the McVay/Shanahan offensive philosophies are within the NFL. He’s an extension via his connections with Kevin Stefanski and Gary Kubiak in Cleveland. Petzing adopted Stefanski to the Browns from the Minnesota Vikings in 2020. Kubiak — who was once Mike Shanahan’s offensive coordinator with the Denver Broncos and their Tremendous Bowl-winning groups with John Elway — was once the Vikings’ laborer head schoolmaster in 2019. Petzing was once the Browns’ QBs schoolmaster in 2022 prior to becoming a member of Jonathan Gannon in Arizona.
Greg Roman, Chargers offensive coordinator
The weighty query: Why didn’t the Bears rent him this month to be their offensive coordinator?
Roman, 52, has probably the most play-calling revel in of any candidate in this record. However the Bears nonetheless didn’t covet him extreme month as they looked for Luke Getsy’s substitute. Roman felt certain to paintings for Jim Harbaugh in Los Angeles next being a part of his 49ers workforce from 2011 to 2014. Roman performed an notable function within the construction of Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson as his offensive coordinator for 4 seasons, together with his first NFL MVP season in 2019.
Zac Robinson, Falcons offensive coordinator
The weighty query: Why didn’t the Bears rent him this month to be their offensive coordinator?
Like Roman and Coen, Robinson was once probably the most applicants Eberflus and Poles interviewed for his or her offensive coordinator opening extreme offseason. And prefer Roman and Coen, Robinson were given a play-calling activity in different places.
Atlanta paired Robinson with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins this season. It’s his first life in command of an offense. That’s the place he’s other from Roman or even Coen. All of Robinson’s earlier training revel in got here below McVay in Los Angeles, the place he was once the laborer QBs schoolmaster, laborer receivers schoolmaster, passing sport coordinator and QBs schoolmaster in 5 years.
Robinson, 38, was once a quarterback at Oklahoma Climate. He was once drafted within the 7th around through the Patriots in 2010.
Would Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik be a good selection to backup assemble Caleb Williams? (Troy Taormina / USA These days)
Bobby Slowik, Texans offensive coordinator
The weighty query: What do quarterback C.J. Stroud’s problems this season recommend about Slowik’s training?
Slowik, 37, turned into a prevailing head training candidate extreme month as a result of Stroud’s NFL offensive rookie of the month season. Slowik interviewed with the Panthers, Falcons, Commanders, Seahawks and Titans.
Stroud’s 2nd season hasn’t had the similar fanfare. His interceptions have higher, year his passing yards consistent with sport and passer score have dropped.
Slowik’s connections to Kyle Shanahan, although, nonetheless will likely be seen as a favorable through some organizations. He started his occupation in Washington as a defensive laborer below Mike Shanahan from 2011 to 2013. He upcoming spent 5 years operating for Professional Soccer Focal point prior to becoming a member of Kyle Shanahan in 2019 in San Francisco, the place he was once promoted to passing sport coordinator in 2022.
Mike Vrabel, former Titans head schoolmaster
The weighty query: What’s Vrabel’s plan to assemble Williams?
When Vrabel took over the Titans in 2018, the group nonetheless had Marcus Mariota, the second one select in 2015, at quarterback. In 2019, Mariota was once benched for Ryan Tannehill and Vrabel by no means regarded again. The instances are other in Chicago. Williams is simplest in his 2nd season, year Mariota was once in his fourth when Vrabel took over in Tennessee. However that implies Vrabel and alternative head schoolmaster applicants will nonetheless wish to provide a plan for Williams to the Bears.
Vrabel, 49, received with the Titans, going 54-45 over 5 seasons, achieving the AFC Championship Recreation in his 2nd season and going 2-3 total within the playoffs. His power and training talent will have to secured with veterans on protection. However the Bears nonetheless need to assemble round Williams, and that begins with the top schoolmaster.
Vrabel’s reports as a participant may resonate with Bears gamers. He’s a three-time Tremendous Bowl champion. However he’s additionally a weighty persona with sturdy evaluations. The Bears have most often most well-liked other applicants.
(Supremacy picture of Thomas Brown: Luke Hales / Getty Pictures)
