Most of the conversations around the Chicago Bears will focus on their head coaching position moving forward. That is until Matt Nagy manages to do one of two things. Win more games or fix the constantly broken offense. Neither seems like a possibility at this point. If so, then it is almost a foregone conclusion that Nagy will be out at the end of 2021. From there ownership will try to find a suitable replacement.

Everybody will be posting their preferred choices. Brian Daboll in Buffalo and Kellen Moore in Dallas are the hot names at the moment. There will be others as well. Will the Bears be able to get this right? Time will tell. One subject that people haven’t touched upon much is coaches they may actually want to avoid. Guys that are having success or have had it recently but could end up being fools gold. Here are some names that fit that profile and why.

Chicago Bears must think hard about avoiding these coaches

Josh McDaniels (OC, New England Patriots)

Why he’s a candidate: If teams are looking for one of the best offensive minds in the NFL, then there is no arguing about McDaniels. The man has consistently put together productive offenses for over a decade now. Since 2006, he has produced a top 10 scoring offense 11 times. Now of course that success involved having Tom Brady as his quarterback. However, he did have a top 15 offense with Kyle Orton twice in Denver and has the 11th scoring offense with rookie Mac Jones this season. The guy is good.

Why avoid him: McDaniels has now had two cracks at the head coaching chair. Both ended in disaster. He was fired midway through his second season in Denver, having created all sorts of controversies headlined by the alienation of quarterback Jay Cutler. Then he was set to take over the Indianapolis Colts in 2018, even getting to the point of hiring a staff before he backed out at the last second to stay in New England. While he might be a great offensive mind, most agree he is a highly questionable person and leader.

Jim Harbaugh (HC, Michigan)

Why he’s a candidate: The last time he was in the NFL, Harbaugh went to three conference title games in four years with San Francisco and came a questionable no-call penalty away from winning the Super Bowl. Since then he has had a solid if uninspiring run at Michigan. The man has deep ties to the Bears, having quarterbacked for them from 1987 to 1993. Rumors persist that he views it as his dream coaching job. The man is known for his fiery temperament and motivational skills. Not to mention his strong ability to build a staff.

Why avoid him: As touched on above, Harbaugh has a tendency to come up short in big games. Losing the Super Bowl and two other conference championships. He’s now 2-9 against ranked teams in college for the Wolverines. Then there is his personality. It can work for a period of time, but many have said his coaching style can wear guys down. Not somebody who will likely survive in the long-term.

Joe Brady (OC, Carolina Panthers)

Why he’s a candidate: Brady burst onto the scene in 2019 when he was offensive coordinator at LSU. That year the Tigers set all sorts of offensive records with quarterback Joe Burrow throwing 60 touchdown passes en route to a national championship victory. Many believed he is the next young offensive wizard that is ready to take the NFL by storm. Another McDaniels or Sean McVay.

Why avoid him: It seems the luster has begun to wear off for Brady in the past two years. The Panthers scooped him up in 2020 as their offensive coordinator. Since then, he hasn’t done anything overly special. They ranked 21st in total offense his first year and have dropped to 25th this season. Perhaps having Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Darnold as his QBs have played a part, but the reality is things aren’t clicking.

Todd Bowles (DC, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Why he’s a candidate: Nobody can dispute the man is one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL. He proved that in Arizona a few years ago and again last year during Tampa Bay’s terrific run to a Super Bowl title. He has head coaching experience too, having produced the last winning season the New York Jets have had in 2015. Many feel he was scapegoated when they fired him. A sacrifice to cover up their terrible roster.

Why avoid him: Bowles was also his own worst enemy at times in New York. He suffered from the Lovie Smith syndrome during his time there, having three offensive coordinators in four seasons. His inability to get that side of the ball figured out can’t be ignored when the Chicago Bears are trying to find continuity and success for Justin Fields.

Dennis Allen (DC, New Orleans Saints)

Why he’s a candidate: There is no way around it. What Allen has done with the Saints defense since his arrival has been nothing short of superb. He inherited the worst unit in the NFL back in 2015. Through hard work and great scheming, he transformed it into a top 5 unit by 2020. It now ranks second in the league this year. Easily one of the best. One could argue he is overdue for an opportunity to run his own team.

Why avoid him: The issue is he already had that chance back in 2012 with the Oakland Raiders. It didn’t go well at all. Allen posted just an 8-28 record across less than three seasons with that team, neither side of the ball performing all that well. While the talent was a bit of an issue at the time, the reality is he too often looked overmatched. Has he learned enough under Sean Payton since then to deserve a second chance? Probably not enough for the Chicago Bears to take the risk.