![]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_118,w_4933,h_2774/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/60/01jj8g4pz50axasx7er6.jpg "]")
All signs point to Ben Johnson naming former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen the Chicago Bears defensive coordinator. Allen was fired as the Saints' head coach during the season, so there can be reasons for concern, but overall this would be a hire that should have Bears fans excited. Here is why.
3. Dennis Allen revamped the New Orleans Saints defense
If you remember back to 2014, before Allen took over as defensive coordinator of the Saints they had one of the worst defenses in the NFL. It took them a couple of seasons with Allen to turn things around, but from 2017-2023 they were no lower than 14th in points allowed. The Saints made some strong runs late into the career of Drew Brees because of that defense and there is a reason he was promoted to head coach. This looks like the case of a bad head coach, but a great defensive coordinator, which is common.
2. Dennis Allen has head coaching experience
Ben Johnson will be a first-time head coach and even though he appears to be quite savvy, it also takes every coach a bit of time to adjust to the NFL. That is why Sean McVay hired Wade Phillips when he first took the job with the Rams, and even Matt Nagy had his most success with Vic Fangio, who was not a former head coach, but had the experience and qualifications.
Allen is going to help Johnson in the same way. Johnson can learn on the fly and have Allen to bounce ideas off of as well as lean on Allen to handle the defense while he is calling plays. Having a new head coach with a former head coach is a great idea.
1. Dennis Allen will not leave for a new job
As we noted earlier, Allen is not a good head coach. He failed with the Raiders and the Saints. However, he got both jobs because he can coordinate defense, and while he is likely out of coaching chances for a while, that should be music to Bears fans' ears.
Unlike Matt Nagy with Vic Fangio, these two have the chance to work together for multiple years. The defense can start to grow, and as you saw in New Orleans, the more experience they had together led to better results. This could be a hire that we look back to in ten years and think about how great it was.