The Chicago Bears continue their restructuring of the offensive coaching staff. By the look of things, they’re placing a much higher priority on NFL experience this time around. Already they added Juan Castillo as their new offensive line coach. A man who’d been around the league since the mid-1990s and won a Super Bowl with Baltimore. Now it appears they’ve continued that trend with their tight ends coach position as well.
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reported that the team had come to an agreement with 56-year old Clancy Barone to fill that slot on their staff. This is a significant shift. Kevin Gilbride Jr. only entered the NFL in 2010 as an assistant coach. Barone entered the league in 2004 but has coached since all the way back in 1987. His specialties center around both the tight ends and the offensive line. So he could end up pulling double duty if required.
His track record is certainly an impressive one. It seems everywhere he goes, the tight ends excel. His first foray came in 2005 with the Atlanta Falcons. There he helped get the two best seasons former Pro Bowler Alge Crumpler would ever have. From there he helped Antonio Gates maintain his dominance with the Chargers in 2007 and 2008. His best work though came when he joined the Denver Broncos. There he helped morph Julius Thomas into a Pro Bowler in 2013 and 2014.
Yet that might not be the most interesting part.
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Chicago Bears may have hired Barone for another reason
Hiring someone like Barone with his track record was an easy decision for the Bears. However, his obvious coaching prowess alone may not have been the only driving force behind the hire. Prior to his arrival in Chicago, Barone was an assistant with the Minnesota Vikings. In 2017, he was their tight ends coach. Kyle Rudolph reached his second Pro Bowl that year with eight touchdown catches. The offensive coordinator for that team?
Pat Shurmur.
It’s no secret the rumors have been flying for over a week that the Bears might have interest in the former New York Giants head coach. His experience as an offensive coordinator is widespread and highly successful. The fact he did such good work together with Barone and also knows Castillo as well? It feels like the Bears have positioned themselves quite well to lure the coach to Chicago.
