3 candidates who can replace Matt Eberflus as the Chicago Bears head coach

A loss to the Detroit Lions will all but push Matt Eberflus closer to being fired as the team's head coach. Even with a victory, it would seem unlikely that Eberflus can climb out of the grave that was dug with the dysfunction the Bears have had over the past month.

Some will view Eberflus' firing as the first time Ryan Poles, assuming he is not fired, will have full autonomy in hiring the next head coach of the Bears.

When Poles was hired as the Bears' general manager, through outside consultants, the organization is believed to have narrowed the list of head coaching candidates down to Eberflus, Dan Quinn, and Jim Caldwell. Poles was tasked with deciding between the three with Eberflus winnings, perhaps due to the two sharing the same agent.

Poles can not get this hire wrong. Short of Williams being a bust, Poles will lose his job if he can't break the cycle of the Bears consistently getting the head coaching hires wrong.

But, Williams is the difference when it comes to the Bears' eventual search for a new head coach this offseason. While Mitch Trubisky and Justin Fields had potential that drew coaches to Chicago, Williams' play this season will have candidates lining up at Halas Hall to beg for the job.

1. Thomas Brown

Let's get Thomas Brown out of the way first. If the Bears' offense and Williams continue to show improvement as the season draws to an end, Brown will not only be considered for the next head coach; he might be the favorite. In his press conferences alone, Brown is everything that Eberflus isn't. That doesn't mean he will be the right hire for head coach, but he has a chance to strengthen his candidacy in the weeks ahead.

2. Kliff Kingsbury

It seems that Matt Eberflus was afraid of hiring Kliff Kingsbury as the Bears' offensive coordinator last January. That fear may have stemmed from the fact that Eberflus did not want his eventual replacement in the same building as him this offseason. Whispers suggest that may be why Eberflus overlooked Brown as the team's offensive coordinator initially. Kingsbury was a hot name during the Commanders' early-season success and likely will get a look this offseason due to his connection with Caleb Williams.

3. Mike Vrabel

After a surprise firing by the Tennessee Titans last offseason, Mike Vrabel will likely be a popular candidate in January's hiring cycle. While not the offensive mind who Bears fans want to be paired with Williams, Vrabel's offensive assistants have been popular candidates in past hiring cycles. Above all else, if the Bears are looking for a leader who has the opposite style of Eberflus, Vrabel would be an easy choice.

You might be wondering why Ben Johnson is not listed and the evidence would seem to suggest he will have no interest in coming to a Bears' organization that has been the definition of incompetence since George McCaskey took over as the team's chairman in 2011. Beyond not wanting to coach against his current team, the Detroit Lions, two times a season, Johnson is likely looking for more organizational stability than what the Bears can offer at the moment.