Ben Johnson invited a surprising guest to Bears-Titans joint practice

Ahead of the team's preseason finale, the Chicago Bears traveled to Nashville a little earlier than they otherwise would to join the Tennessee Titans for a joint practice.

Bears head coach Ben Johnson clearly has a curious, creative mind, and his search for knowledge and different perspectives on football knows few bounds.

The news out of the joint practice session with the Titans was mostly the typical fodder, shy of one thing. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, former Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott was in attendance as a guest of Johnson's.

What Sean McDermott's appearance at Bears practice could mean for the team

After the Bills fired him in January, McDermott said he intended to take this year off from coaching. He also, like some others, planned to learn and evolve before becoming a top head coaching candidate for 2027.

That has included making some visits to teams, including the New York Giants during minicamp and the Los Angeles Rams during training camp.

With no past working ties, it's interesting that Johnson invited McDermott to the joint practice against the Titans. It's even more interesting knowing McDermott has a notable tie on the other side. Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll was McDermott's offensive coordinator in Buffalo for four seasons (2018-2021.

Daboll also isn't in a position to extend practice invites to unemployed coaches, since he's not the Titans' head coach. Head coach Robert Saleh's coaching roots are on the defensive side of the ball, like McDermott's, so an invite is unlikely to come from Saleh.

But an offensive mind like Johnson, from the head coach's chair, could definitely see value in McDermott's perspective. And no, the joint practice visit doesn't raise any immediate questions about defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's job status.

Any actual conversation about Allen's job status would come down the road if the Bears' defense isn't getting it done this season.

As Brendan Sugrue of Bears Wire chronicled, after the news of the visit, a strong segment of Bears fans wants Johnson to hire McDermott as a "senior defensive consultant" or something.

The notion is well-founded, as McDermott is one of the league's most respected defensive minds. In six of his nine seasons in Buffalo, the Bills finished top-10 in total yards allowed. They had a top-five scoring defense four times during his tenure.

If McDermott remains steadfast in his desire to take a year away from coaching, aside from the visits he's making in search of self-improvement and evolution as he prepares to reenter the fray, then even a consultant role with minimal responsibilities isn't something he would entertain.

Read more: Bears' Marcus Davenport experiment is off to the exactly expected start

While it's ok to be intrigued by Thursday's surprising development and to "never say never", it's safe to assume the joint practice visit will not lead to McDermott joining the Bears' coaching staff for this season.

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