Promoting Sean Desai to be their new defensive coordinator was an underrated move for the Chicago Bears.
Instead of going with an external candidate, Matt Nagy chose to promote from within, and he chose the right man in Desai. Having someone who has been here for a while, and knows the guys, will end up paying dividends.
Desai is most famously linked to former Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio as his “right-hand man.” In prepping for opponents week-in and week-out, Desai was the man whom Fangio trusted most in terms of preparing, analyzing game film and putting together game plans.
One thing many have pointed out as a form of praise was when Fangio tried to hire Desai away from the Bears after becoming the head coach of the Denver Broncos. In the end, the Bears blocked the move, choosing to keep Desai on board — little did they know, just two years down the road that move would serve to be such a key decision.
Now, Desai takes over a defense that still has most of the talent from that dominant 2018 season. He’s been in Chicago since 2013 now and has a familiarity with personnel, coaches and the organization as a whole. Continuity is important in some respects, and this is a prime example of when it will work out as a positive.
Going forward, Desai will have a few things he needs to do to get this defense back to its correct form. He will have an impact from the get-go. Every defensive player should be thrilled to see him obtain this position. But, three players, in particular, will see a huge jump in 2021 now that Desai is the man in charge.