5 defensive coordinators Bears need to be eyeing for 2024

Coming off another loss and putting them at 2-7 on the season, the Chicago Bears have to start planning ahead.

If Ryan Poles is being honest with himself, he should fire almost his entire staff. Already, the team has parted with a couple of coaches including defensive coordinator Alan Williams.

Thus far, Matt Eberflus has taken over the play calling for Williams, but Chicago's defense still hasn't been all that good; inconsistent at best.

In 2024, the Bears should look to replace Williams and Eberflus with one of these defensive coordinator candidates.

1. Joe Whitt Jr., Secondary/Defensive Pass Game Coordinator, Dallas Cowboys

When the Dallas Cowboys lost cornerback Trevon Diggs for the season, many thought their secondary might take a step back. Diggs is, after all, one of the best corners in the game and would be a difficult player to replace.

Instead, Stephon Gilmore has stepped up and the Cowboys have also seen the rise of 2022 fifth-round pick Daron Bland. Overall, the Cowboys' secondary hasn't really missed a beat. They are currently the league's fifth-ranked pass defense, giving up just 179.1 yards per game through the air.

Joe Whitt Jr. can be given much credit here, too, and he's a guy who might start to get some buzz as a future defensive coordinator. The Bears' secondary figures to be strong going into the future, assuming they can re-sign Jaylon Johnson. Whitt could be a great candidate to continue helping that group along while improving the defense as a whole. Chicago ranks fifth-worst against the pass this season.