The Chicago Bears have a ton of work to do this offseason if they’re going to take a step forward from another disappointing 8-8 finish. The first order of business is finding a new defensive coordinator. Chuck Pagano chose to retire at 60-years old after two seasons with the team. The timing isn’t surprising given how many Bears fans were calling for his head as the defense steadily declined down the stretch.
Rather than endure the potential backlash, the man decided to walk away. Now head coach Matt Nagy has to find his third defensive coordinator in four years. Who will it be? There are some early favorites. Internally it sounds like defensive line coach Jay Rodgers is an option. No surprise given his exemplary work since arriving in Chicago six years ago. Externally? The one name getting lots of traction is James Bettcher, the former defensive coordinator in Arizona and New York.
There will be other possibilities as well. Including ones people don’t expect.
So who might be a darkhorse nobody is talking about that the Bears may or should look at? There is one name out there. A person fans in Chicago should know really well. That being Chris Harris. The former 6th round pick became a starter at safety for the Bears in the mid-2000s. He was on their Super Bowl team in 2006, was traded to Carolina, and then came back to Chicago where he delivered five interceptions in 2010 en route to the NFC championship.
The guy is amply familiar with Bears defensive football. Since retiring? He dove head-first into the coaching ranks. It started in Chicago as a defensive quality control coach in 2013. After two seasons, he left to become assistant defensive backs coach in San Diego with the Chargers. Now he serves as the Washington Football Team defensive backs coach.
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Harris has a track record the Chicago Bears would like
His impact has been surprisingly effective despite not being in the coaching ranks for too long. During his stint with the Chargers, their defense produced two Pro Bowlers and another was an All-Pro. In his first year with Washington? His defensive backs played really well. The team finished with the #2 pass defense in the NFL with his DBs collecting 12 interceptions on the year.
He’s also had a chance to learn from some excellent defensive coordinators. Gus Bradley in Los Angeles and now Jack Del Rio and Ron Rivera in Washington. The guy is rising up the ranks quickly. He’s a proven track record as a player and is now proving he has the chops as a coach. If the Chicago Bears wanted to bring in somebody who would view the job as something truly meaningful? Then Harris is the one.
The odds on this happening? Unlikely.
Nagy can’t afford to take a big risk with 2021 being a make-or-break season. Either he has to go with a known quantity on his own staff like Rodgers or find a proven coordinator on the market. Still, if he’s open to living a bit dangerously then this is a phone call he should at least explore.