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Coaches The Chicago Bears Should Poach From Soon-To-Be Fired Staffs

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears

News finally came out recently that the Chicago Bears are prepared to move on from John Fox. Ian Rapoport confirmed as much. This could mean the entire coaching will be gone by Monday morning. That may not sit well with some fans who’d love to see certain faces stick around, most notably defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Regardless GM Ryan Pace will have a big task ahead of him.

First and foremost will be finding a new head coach. Expectations are he’ll be targeting an offensive specialist. Somebody who can come in and hopefully groom quarterback Mitch Trubisky into the top NFL passer he should be. Who will that end up being? Only Pace himself knows that for sure. One thing is clear though, that coach will have a huge responsibility upon arrival.

He must quickly move to build a strong coaching staff around him. The good news is the market will be flooded with fellow coaches who were dismissed by other teams. Contrary to popular belief this doesn’t mean they’re all failures. Like Fangio several of them are actually quite good at their jobs, but were caught up in the politics of this business.

Who are some the Bears might be able to poach?

Likely fired coaches the Chicago Bears might want to target

As things stand it appears that there will be at least seven staffs that are dismissed come Black Monday. That means dozens of coaches will suddenly find themselves unemployed. The scramble to scoop certain names up will be swift, so the Bears will have to act quickly in order to secure the best ones. Here are some names they really should consider.

Chuck Pagano (Indianapolis Colts)

The Colts head coach is villainized these days for his failures, which is rather unfortunate. Given the roster he had most of that time, he’s actually done quite well. Either way his reputation won’t be tarnished so much that he can’t find work. Pagano will likely land on his feet as a defensive coordinator. His lone year of work at that job in 2011 resulted in the Baltimore Ravens finishing 3rd overall in the NFL. He’s known for his ability to motivate and pay attention to details. His 3-4 background would also be a benefit to the Bears’ continuity.

Russ Grimm (Tennessee Titans)

The Hall of Fame guard has continued his stellar NFL career as one of the top offensive line coaches in the game today. Grimm has had success producing Pro Bowl talents wherever he’s gone from Washington to Pittsburgh, Arizona and now Tennessee. If the Titans were to let him go he’d be an instant benefit to the Bears as they look to fortify their front for Trubisky and that rushing attack.

James Urban (Cincinnati Bengals)

It’s never a bad thing when players speak out on whom they think should get a promotion as coach. Several in Cincinnati did so for James Urban when the Bengals offensive coordinator job opened up. It ultimately went to Bill Lazor, but that was a sign that Urban had the respect of the roster. With good reason too. Since 2011 the Bengals wide receivers have had loads of success thanks to his efforts. A.J. Green is a star while Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu went on to land big contracts after leaving the team as free agents.

Todd Downing (Oakland Raiders)

His run as offensive coordinator is not going as the Raiders had hoped. Granted it’s the first year Downing has ever held the job so there might be an adjustment period but still. If he’s out after this season the young coach is by no means unworthy of swift signing. While a coordinator job is unlikely at this point, he’d be an excellent quarterbacks coach. He has held this position when a number of top QBs have had their best years including Derek Carr in Oakland and Matthew Stafford in Detroit.

Patrick Graham (New York Giants)

Teams tend to be wary of New England Patriots assistants these days, feeling they’re elevated by the Belichick Effect. Patrick Graham has since found success outside that bubble though. His work with the New York Giants defensive line of late has proven he knows how to do the job well. He understands how to coach up proper run defense and pass rush requirement. He’s also still quite young so his best years may be ahead of him.

James Bettcher (Arizona Cardinals)

It was quite the shoes to fill when Todd Bowles left for New York in 2015. Rather than seek outside help though, Bruce Arians put the Arizona Cardinals defense in the hands of young assistant James Bettcher. That proved to be a wise choice. The unit hasn’t ranked lower than sixth in total defense during the three seasons he’s been in charge. Before that he was a successful outside linebackers coach as well. Another highly overlooked young assistant.

Bears Fans Finally Get Their Confirmation on John Fox’s Future

By
Erik Lambert
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john fox

The Chicago Bears have been totally silent on the future of head coach John Fox. To this point it’s been hinted strongly that the 62-year old would soon be fired at the end of the season. Yet no confirmation has existed to this point. Thus there was always the shred of doubt that maybe, just maybe the team might change their minds and decide to keep him another year.

At last it appears some sort of reliable information has surfaced. Expectations are that he will be fired following the game against the Minnesota Vikings in the season finale. Once that happens GM Ryan Pace will begin the active search for his replacement. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network provided the latest details.

“Coach John Fox is expected to be fired following Chicago’s game on Sunday, sources say. General manager Ryan Pace will lead the search for a new coach, and team president Ted Phillips has already been doing homework on prospective candidates. While Fangio likely gets a look, don’t be surprised if the Bears focus on hiring an offensive coach who can help rookie QB Mitch Trubisky, as the Eagles did with Doug Pederson and Carson Wentz.”

John Fox successor will likely be a hot offensive name

There already have been plenty of offensive names mentioned in connection to the Bears job. Jon Gruden and Jim Harbaugh are the top two veteran names. Meanwhile an assortment of young up-and-comer have begun to fill up the list from Matt Nagy in Kansas City to John DeFilippo in Philadelphia and Matt Lafleur in Los Angeles.

It will come down to two key factors. Who fits with Trubisky best on the field and fits best with Pace at Halas Hall. It will be imperative for those two relationships to get off on the right foot. Otherwise the Bears will just be back here again three years from now.

Rumor: Bears Coaching Search Digging Deep Into the Past

By
Erik Lambert
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bears coaching search

The Chicago Bears coaching search is 48 hours away from commencing. John Fox will oversee his final game for the team in Minnesota on Sunday. Regardless of the outcome, expectations are he’ll be fired the following Monday. At that point GM Ryan Pace will begin the hunt for his replacement. As to who that will be? There is only speculation.

Some sources think they’ll target the top young offensive mind available, searching for perhaps the next Sean McVay or Kyle Shanahan. Others wonder if they’ll try to find a coach who’s connected to the franchise. Dave Toub appears to be the hottest name of late in that regard. Then again this team has proven over the past few years to be quite unpredictable.

Could another such moment be coming? Based on the latest rumors, it’s possible.

Bears coaching search may be coveting Jon Gruden

There are plenty of well-known names on the market who remain wild cards. Jim Harbaugh is arguably the most popular among Bears fans. It seems though that another might actually be in play for the organization. A source offered an interesting note on what’s been happening the past 24 hours.

“Bears meeting with Jon Gruden. They’ve been meeting since noon. Three plus hours.”

This information by itself is a little inconclusive. However, there is a fascinating element that threw gasoline on the fire. Mere minutes after receiving this information, news leaked out that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were keeping head coach Dirk Koetter for the 2018 season. This after rampant belief the team was on the cusp of bringing Gruden back. So something changed.

Apparently it had nothing to do with the team changing their minds. It was actually the man himself who chose to back off the job.

“Gruden turned down Bucs. They had no interest in other candidates than him.”

That would explain matters. Once Gruden declined their offer it would make sense for them to declare the job no longer available and would be keeping Koetter. Could this be an indication the Bears might have an inside track to landing the former Super Bowl champion? It’s too early to tell but the source did leave one last nugget to chew on.

“Gruden has long loved Trubisky.”

Gruden brings lots of credibility and unknowns to the job

There is certainly a lot to take in with this. As stated before it’s very early in the process. Meeting with Gruden and hiring him are two different things. Nonetheless what exactly would the Bears be getting were it to happen? Well first and foremost they’d collect a man who’s been all the way to the top. Gruden won the Super Bowl with Tampa Bay back in 2002, so he’s seen the blueprint before.

He has a deep offensive background, having learned under the likes of Mike Holmgren. In his time as a coordinator and head coach he produced a top 10 offense six times. His biggest area of expertise lay at quarterback. Rich Gannon developed into an All-Pro under his watch in Oakland and Brad Johnson had his career-best season as well under him in Tampa. Jeff Garcia also went to the Pro Bowl with his help.

One thing Gruden has yet to do though is develop a young quarterback himself. He never really had the opportunity in Oakland or Tampa Bay. Mitch Trubisky would certainly represent the sort of challenge he’s always coveted. No doubt his chances to come back won’t last much longer. He’ll be 55-years old next year.

The setup the Bears offer with Trubisky and that solid defense might be the best chance he’ll ever get.

A New Front Runner for Bears Head Coaching Job Is Revealed

By
Erik Lambert
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bears head coaching job

The Chicago Bears head coaching job is about to become available. All signs point to Sunday being the last game John Fox will coach for the team. If nothing else the man deserves credit for maintaining control of his team in the midst of everything. Many others wouldn’t have been able to do that. Whether they can go out on a high note in Minnesota is something else entirely.

Regardless the questions remain. Who will be the man to succeed Fox come January 1st? It’s still early to even form an answer. GM Ryan Pace is a man known for being methodical and detailed in his approach to anything. Smart money says he has a list of names he likes but won’t be quick to his decision like he was three years ago.

At the same time could it be possible an early front runner might exist? Well that depends on who you ask. At least one person wasn’t shy about mentioning a name. Benjamin Allbright, a known insider who does radio and analysis out of Denver, claims that the Bears do indeed have somebody they might be favoring.

Bears head coaching job could be destined for Dave Toub

This might come as a bit of a shock to some people. For starters Toub has zero connections to Pace personally. The two have never worked together. On the other hand he does have deep ties to the Bears organization. He was their outstanding special teams coach from 2004 to 2012, during which Devin Hester and Robbie Gould had their remarkable runs. If Toub is the leader for the job, this would suggest that it’s not Pace but Bears ownership that might be pressing for the hire.

Toub has consistently ranked among the top assistant coaches in the NFL for a long time. His special teams units routinely rank in the top 10 and he’s constantly churned out Pro Bowlers at various positions be it kickers, punters, gunners or return men. He’s part of an era in Chicago that was among the most successful of the Super Bowl era.

It’s not hard to see why the team might be interested in bringing him back. The question of course is whether that’s wise. Toub is an outstanding assistant but it’s unclear how well-connected he is. With no expertise on offense or defense, it would fall to him to build a strong enough staff to ensure both those sides of the ball are taken care of.

Especially quarterback Mitch Trubisky. The good news is he’s learned lessons under one of the best in Andy Reid. At the same time it’s impossible to say how well he’s taken them to heart.

Bears’ Plans Regarding GM Ryan Pace Finally Come To Light

By
Erik Lambert
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ryan pace

By this point Bears GM Ryan Pace looks safe. His young roster made sure of that with their win over the Cleveland Browns. Head coach John Fox is likely gone. However, plans seem to indicate that Pace will have another chance to hire the next head coach. At the same time this doesn’t exactly clear matters up. Not entirely anyway.

Pace may end up hiring the next coach, but does that guarantee he sticks around beyond 2018? Everybody remembers what happened with Lovie Smith. Phil Emery stuck with him for a year, then kicked him to the curb in favor of Marc Trestman. This could just be the reverse situation. The new coach pairs with Pace for a year and then they switch general managers.

Would the Bears be willing to take that sort of risk yet again after what a disaster it became four years ago? Well it turns out they may have learned their lesson after all. According to Ian Rapoport the Bears have plans to make sure they have stability at the top once the new head coach is in place.

GM Ryan Pace likely to get contract extension to match coach

This revelation makes a certain logical sense. No coach will want to come to Chicago if he thinks there’s a likelihood change will happen in the front office at the first sign of trouble. Pace will be in the fourth season of a five-year deal in 2018 as things stand. Odds are the next coach will get a four-year deal like Fox did back in 2015. This means Pace is likely to get a two-year extension on his.

That means the two deals would essentially expire at the same time. So if things went wrong they’d both be out on the same timeline. It’s a good way to ensure stability while also keeping the money structure in order. Both men will know they’re joined at the hip moving forward, given the proper time to finish this ongoing project of the past few years.

Mt. Carmel’s Frank Lenti: “I’m Not Retiring”

By
Matt Eastman
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CHICAGO —  Contrary to what Mt. Carmel’s administration led everyone to believe, legendary head football coach Frank Lenti is NOT stepping down. He’s actually being pushed out.

According to Lenti’s press release, he has no intention of retiring and may pursue coaching high school football at some point in the future.

“While I had hoped to honor the commitment I had given the Mount Carmel football student-athletes and families that I would coach them thru their time at Mount Carmel, the administration has decided otherwise. Contrary to what some may have heard, I am not retiring. I love coaching high school football and may pursue that at some point in the future. I will honor my commitment to Mount Carmel and will resume my daily duties in the Development Department for the time being.”

Mount Carmel released an official statement Friday afternoon, which was in direct contradiction to what was really unfolding. According to Lenti, he had no intention of his coaching career at 64th and Dante coming to an abrupt end.

It’s very rare for a coach with a resume the likes of Lenti to not be given the opportunity to go out on his own terms. A chance for him to be recognized amongst his peers and thank all those who helped him along the way.

According to a source, Jordan Lynch wanted to be brought in as the offensive coordinator and serve under Lenti for a year before making the transition to head coach. It seems Administration thought otherwise.

For Lynch, this brings an incredible opportunity to takeover one of the state’s most prestigious high school football programs; however, it appears there may be a somewhat of a dark cloud hovering over the events that lead up to his hiring.

“I’m incredibly excited to be returning to the Caravan,” Lynch said in a release. “I learned so much during my years at Mount Carmel, and will always be grateful to the great coaches who taught me character and what it means to sustain a winning tradition.

‘I can’t wait to get started.'”

Something doesn’t smell right here.

Jordan Lynch Will Replace Frank Lenti As Head Football Coach At Mt. Carmel

By
Sports Mockery
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jordan lynch bears

According to several sources, the Mt. Carmel Caravan will have a new head football coach in 2018 and his name is Jordan Lynch. The former Heisman Trophy finalist will replace a legend that has brought 11 state championships to the school since his tenure started in 1984.

A 1969 graduate of Mt. Carmel, Lenti was quoted by the Chicago Tribune in August of 2016 saying “I haven’t thought at all about retirement. As long as the Carmelites don’t kick me out, I plan on being here.” Ironically enough, his legacy with the Caravan will now reportedly end with rumors swirling that the idea to “push him out” has been in the works for a while. Our sources indicate this isn’t necessarily the way Lenti wanted things to end, but Mt. Carmel has made their decision.

As a first team All-American, setting several Northern Illinois records along the way, Lynch excelled at the collegiate level followed by a short stint with the Chicago Bears. He is expected to breathe new life into the Caravan and continue the winning tradition Lenti has created.

Lenti shared the following quote with Sports Mockery:

“While I had hoped to honor the commitment I had given the Mount Carmel football student-athletes and families that I would coach them through their time at the school, the administration has decided otherwise.  Contrary to what some may have heard, I am not retiring.  I love coaching high school football and may pursue that at some point in the future. I will honor my commitment to Mount Carmel and will resume my daily duties in the Development Department for the time being.”

More information, along with formal press releases are expected from both sides shortly.

The Biggest Hurdle In Trading Mirotic Is A Self Inflicted Mistake

By
Patrick Mooney
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bulls insider suggests michael reinsdorf fire gar forman john paxson

With the Chicago Bulls winning 9 of their last 11 games, many fans are both excited and worried.

A young team is showing impressive progress, much earlier than expected, and that’s worth getting excited about. However, the Bulls have gone from having the #1 pick to having the #9 pick since the return of Nikola Mirotic.

Mirotic has returned from his face injury looking better than we’ve ever seen him, he’s led the team in scoring at over 17 ppg during this 11 game stretch and he’s doing it effortlessly and confidently.

With 48 games left in the season, there’s still plenty of time for the Bulls to get their #tank back on. The best way to do that is to trade away players who are helping them win now that aren’t apart of the future plans. That list currently includes two players, center Robin Lopez and Mirotic, who are both free agents after the 2018-19 season. None of the Bulls young bench pieces are untouchable, but I don’t see GarPax dumping Portis, Valentine or Nwaba as a throw-in in a trade. The best way to get value (say, a mid-teens/early twenties 1st round pick) while expediting the tank process would be to package Mirotic and Lopez together, rather than selling them off in separate deals.

Having said that, there’s one major obstacle standing in the Bulls way… the full no-trade clause they gave Mirotic in his contract that he signed in September.

There wasn’t a free agent bidding war that forced the Bulls to dish out a no-trade clause in order to ensure Mirotic would sign with them, he didn’t sign until the day before training camp. According to multiple reports, it was essentially the Bulls competing against themselves for his services. There is no excuse for Mirotic to have the contractual right to block being traded.

Now, ironically, the Bobby Portis punch debacle could end up helping the Bulls in the long run. Despite their apparent reconciliation, hope remains that the incident impacted Niko to the point where he would waive his no-trade clause if the right trade was presented to him.

But that could change at any moment, and he isn’t eligible to be traded until January (another weird clause in his contract). Maybe he really has forgiven Portis and moved on. Maybe he isn’t lying through his teeth when he talks about his love for the city and the organization that took a chance on him in the draft. I don’t think this is a cut-and-dry situation that many are making it out to be.

Regardless of what happens this season with Mirotic, it will be his decision, not the Bulls management’s. The process is just as important as the results, and GarPax did not execute this part of the process correctly.

 

Insider Reveals Whether Bears Head Coaching Job Is In Demand

By
Erik Lambert
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bears head coaching job

The Chicago Bears head coaching job is about to become available for the third time since 2013. Marc Trestman failed in two years at it. John Fox has failed in three. Now GM Ryan Pace, presuming the rumors are true, will have his second and likely last chance to get it right. That’s why fans have obsessed over the long list of candidates expected to be available in the next couple weeks.

There is one lingering fear. What is the perception of the Bears job outside Halas Hall? Some national source have indicated Chicago is on par with the Cleveland Browns, easily the worst job in the NFL. Is that true? Recently on Mully And Hanley (670 The Score) top insider Ian Rapoport was posed that question.

It turns out that most candidates don’t view the Bears as anything close to the Browns. In fact the position is held in high esteem for a number of reasons.

Indeed the Bears job represents the NFL at its most traditional. It’s one of the original franchises. There is almost none like it in the world. Never mind the fact that it’s in a top market city where loads of money can be made. Ask Mike Ditka. Suffice to say a coach’s career can be made if he has success there.

That leaves one question. Where do they stand on Trubisky?

Young QB provides added gravity to Bears head coaching job

It would seem he’s made a good first impression among many of the coaches around the league. Enough to where they feel that his floor in the NFL is that of a competent Pro Bowl quarterback that can help the team win a lot of football games.

Don’t forget that for all the heat Dalton has caught over the years, he’s a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback. He led his team to the playoffs four times. That’s certainly quite a baseline to work with. The best part is Trubisky should have significantly more upside. Not only is he a more accurate passer, he’s also more athletic. He can move far better than Dalton can. That alone makes him more dangerous.

It will come down to which coach the Bears ultimately choose. If they can find somebody who knows how to mold Trubisky properly, then he can fulfill the promise of being a #2 overall draft pick. In the mean time it’s nice to know the Chicago job remains in high demand.

The Bears Wide Receiver Problem Could Face Interesting Dilemma Soon

By
Erik Lambert
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bears wide receiver problem

The Chicago Bears wide receiver problem is a well-discussed topic at this point. They can’t expect Mitch Trubisky to become the quarterback they envision while throwing to Kendall Wright, Dontrelle Inman and Josh Bellamy. He badly needs better weapons. That leads to what’s coming in the 2018 off-season. At first glance it looks like a strong year for getting a receiver.

It’s especially true for the free agent market. Names like Jarvis Landry and Allen Robinson could headline a fairly deep group of talents. If the Bears are willing to spend, they could end up with some serious upgrades. At the same time this isn’t taking into account another key factor:  roster cuts. Every year there’s always one or two notable names who are released for one reason or another.

A name that may have worn out his welcome with one team but just might bring value to another. One such case is fixing to happen down in Dallas. If so it could create quite the dilemma for Bears GM Ryan Pace in his quest to find Trubisky weapons.

Could Bears wide receiver problem lead to Dez Bryant experiment?

It would seem the Cowboys have grown increasingly frustrated with their three-time Pro Bowl receiver Dez Bryant. After a solid run in 2016, his production value has taken a dip this year. He’s barely caught half the 124 passes thrown his direction with a number of huge drops and just 815 yards to show for it. He also has the embarrassment of not having a 100-yard performance in 21-straight games.

Not exactly the execution of a guy who fancies himself a #1 wide receiver. Now there’s buzz that the Cowboys may look to cut their losses in 2018.

It wouldn’t be a complete shock. Bryant will turn 30-years old next year and command $16.5 million against the salary cap. With key players like Demarcus Lawrence and David Irving needing new contracts, the Cowboys may look to sacrifice Bryant in order to ensure they have the space to secure both. It’s not like teammates are scrambling to make sure the receiver is well-loved in the locker room.

Even quarterback Dak Prescott seems frustrated with his recent struggles.

Would he be worth the risk for Chicago?

As stated earlier Bryant is approaching the tail end of his prime. He’s also known for being a bit of a handful in the locker room. At the same time one thing is clear. He would unquestionably be the top receiver on the Bears roster as it currently is. Would they be willing to brave the personality in order to possibly squeeze another couple good year out of him? Much of that may depend on who the next head coach is.

John Fox almost certainly would not have considered it. He’s always been a coach who avoids such personalities in his locker room. At the same time the potential benefit of pairing Bryant with Trubisky is so difficult to ignore. So much will be left to answer, but it must start with Dallas making their decision on whether to cut him.

At the same time, it appears that Bryant is at least keeping tabs on the Bears’ young QB. Take that for what it’s worth.

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