Bears News: Four candidates to replace Matt Eberflus as head coach |
CHICAGO - While Bears head coach Matt Eberflus has not been fired yet, it seems quite likely he will not be the coach next season. So, he has to be replaced by somebody. The Bears have historically struggled on offense more than on defense and therefore, an offensive-minded coach may be the best approach for this team. Besides, they already have to fill the void of defensive coordinator.
Here are a few candidates that come to mind: Brian Johnson - Philadelphia Eagles Offensive Coordinator Johnson’s name has come up as a potential replacement for Eberflus. First, he fits the bill with an offensive-minded coach. Second, quarterback Jalen Hurts and the rest of the Eagles offense has flourished. His background is in coaching quarterbacks and with Chicago most likely moving on from Justin Fields after this season, they will be bringing in yet another rookie quarterback that will need to be coached. Johnson seems like a good person to fulfill this role. The one downside is that Johnson has only been offensive coordinator for one season and only coached in the NFL for three seasons. Thus, it might be preferable to find someone more experienced. However, if you are looking for a young talent that could bring a different perspective, Johnson would be a good match. Ben Johnson - Detroit Lions Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy was an acquisition from a division opponent and that clearly has not worked as he should not be with the Bears next season. However, Johnson is different. Unlike the coordinator for the Eagles, Ben Johnson has a lot of experience coaching in the NFL, 12 years in fact. Detroit is perhaps one of the best offenses in the NFL, something Chicago found out the hard way this past Sunday. He is making Jared Goff look like a better quarterback than he previously was and the offense dual threat - on the ground and in the air. Further, he has experience working with quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends prior to being an offensive coordinator and thus should have a more well-rounded understanding of the offense. That is something Chicago is greatly in need of, making him a good fit. Kellen Moore - Los Angeles Chargers Offensive Coordinator Sticking with the theme of an offensive-minded coach, Kellen Moore has produced many high-powered offenses first with Dak Prescott with the Dallas Cowboys and now with the Chargers. Los Angeles’s record does not adequately capture their offensive talent. Justin Herbert currently has the lowest interception percentage of his career with 1.4%, which also happens to be less than half of Justin Fields’ interception percentage (3.2%). Moore has the most experience at offensive coordinator than anyone on this list with a total of five years. However, the biggest downside would probably be that Moore is used to coaching veteran quarterbacks and since the Bears may draft someone like Caleb Willaims out of USC or Drake Maye out of North Carolina, that would not be the case in Chicago. Still, he seems like he would be capable of handling that. Richard Hightower - Chicago Bears Special Teams Coordinator While he may not be an offensive-minded coach, Hightower has a lot of other positives. First, he would be a familiar face which could perhaps make the transition to Hightower easier than with any other coach. Second, Hightower, while primarily focusing on special teams, does have some coaching experience with wide receivers and defensive backs. Therefore, he has a little bit of an understanding of both sides of the ball and is not specific to just offense or defense. The special teams unit has done well under Hightower and so did his unit with the San Francisco 49ers, where he worked with kicker Robbie Gould for a number of years. His unit also eliminated the Green Bay Packers from the playoffs two seasons ago with a blocked punt returned for a touchdown, the 49ers’ only touchdown in the game. This season, kicker Cairo Santos has reached the milestone of 200 career field goals, something not done since Gould was in Chicago. The one major problem with making Hightower the head coach would be that it creates another coaching vacancy at special teams; but, that is worth it to find the right person for the job.
