When a team finishes 30th in points scored, it’s almost a given that changes are going to happen. Not just on the roster but the coaching staff as well. Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy remains safe for 2020, but there was no way he could sell anybody on keeping his staff the same after such a disaster. It was just a matter of determining how deep his changes would end up going. As it turns out, he has no plans to hold back as no fewer than three key assistants were shown the door.
Offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich was the most obvious. He will be joined by tight ends coach Kevin Gilbride and offensive line coach Harry Hiestand. That last one is a bit of a surprise given the credibility Hiestand has garnered for the past several years. However, the dismal performance of the line in 2019 undoubtedly played a big role in that. The same going for the tight ends who failed to field a single player with 100 yards or more receiving.
It was a minor surprise that quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone wasn’t among them but after it was revealed Mitch Trubisky would remain the starter in 2020, this makes a little more sense.
Chicago Bears haven’t made their intentions clear
The big position in this regard will be the offensive coordinator spot. So much of what the Bears decide to do there will depend on one key factor. Will Nagy be surrendering his duties as a play caller or not? If the answer is no, this will likely narrow down the list of choices for them since a number of the more high profile names available will likely prefer to have that freedom. However, if Nagy is open to the idea then the Bears could land themselves a capable guy.
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Offensive line coach will be the other of great importance. Offenses are often determined by the success of their blocking up front. Those that have capable coaches in this area tend to thrive the most often. See the New England Patriots for a primary example. It will be fascinating to see how Nagy plays this.
