Chicago Bears: Under-the-radar defensive coordinator candidates
By Ryan Heckman
Chicago Bears’ under-the-radar defensive coordinator candidates: Brian Baker
If the Bears want someone who can come in and take this defensive line to the next level, current Indianapolis Colts defensive line coach Brian Baker might be the guy for the job.
In 2020, the Colts were no. 2 overall against the run and one of the more complete defenses in all of football. This last year was Baker’s only season with the Colts, but prior to coming to Indy he had accomplished quite a bit over his 19 years in the NFL, not to mention some experience at the college level.
In 2019, Baker was an associate head coach for the Alabama Crimson Tide and, if you know anything about Bama, they typically churn out defensive line prospects like it’s going out of style. Baker also coached at Mississippi State from 2016-2018 where he led one of the country’s top defensive lines for three straight seasons.
Baker’s collegiate and NFL experience has led him to work with plenty of talent over the years. He’s coached guys like Robert Porcher, Kevin Williams, Julius Peppers, Demarcus Ware, and more recent studs like Montez Sweat and Jeffery Simmons.
If there’s one thing Baker knows, it’s the defensive line. He knows what it takes to be a great player in this league. He might not have a better group of talent to take over than this Bears defense, too.