NFL insider hints Bears head coaching search might disgruntle fans
By Ryan Heckman
From now until the Chicago Bears make their next official head coaching hire, we're going to see a whole lot of rumors, reports and whispers in reference to the situation at hand.
At the moment, it appears as though Bears president Kevin Warren will make the ultimate decision on the next head coach with general manager Ryan Poles assisting close by. But, where are they going to focus their attention?
Many fans are hoping the front office takes a long look at candidates like Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who is reportedly interested in the job. At the very least, the Bears should be looking at a bright, offensive mind, right?
Not so fast.
One NFL insider seems to believe the Bears should, in fact, go the opposite direction.
Wait, what? Not again.
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, who is pretty close with Poles, suggested something in his latest column that might not sit well with Bears fans.
"So obsess over Williams and Williams alone, if that’s what you need to do. Worry about building an offense rather than a team, if you want. If I were the Bears, I’d go the other way, and do what that franchise has needed to do for a generation, and empower someone who’ll change the place," Breer wrote.
Just who is Breer insinuating the Bears go after if it isn't an offensive mind like Johnson? In this case, the insider is suggesting Chicago goes in the complete, opposite direction.
The Bears focusing on a culture change with their next head coach could work out for the best
"Make it Bill Belichick, or Mike Vrabel, or Aaron Glenn, or someone who’ll fix not just the problems we saw Thursday, but also the ones that have been around forever," Breer finished.
That's a loaded statement by Breer. Throwing out the name Belichick is certainly something, although that probably wouldn't happen. Belichick would want more control, meaning Ryan Poles would be out of a job, essentially.
But, if the Bears went for someone like Vrabel or Glenn, then they just might establish a brand-new culture which this organization desperately needs. And, fear not, the offense wouldn't necessarily suffer.
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Now, there are going to be fans who read this and immediately find themselves angry. Why would the Bears not hire an offensive mind? Isn't that the way this league is headed? Isn't that what Williams needs?
Sure, there is always the possibility of the Bears keeping Brown on as their offensive coordinator, giving him more time to help develop Williams and continue to further his own name amongst NFL head coaching circles.
If Brown does an admirable job down the stretch and the Bears could ultimately keep him in the role of offensive coordinator while hiring a fresh head coach, that wouldn't be the worst idea. After all, Eberflus' incompetence revealed exactly where the Bears have been lacking.
It all comes down to culture. It comes down to a mindset, preparedness and discipline, which are all things Eberflus failed to instill in this locker room.
Now, this is all hypothetical of course. Maybe Brown does such a good job and gets looks elsewhere. If the Bears brought in a coach like Vrabel or Glenn, then they'd be back to the drawing board in finding an offensive coordinator. That's not ideal for Year 2 for Williams.
But, for the long haul? Breer might be on to something, here. A culture change should be a top priority.