The Chicago Bears GM and head coach positions seemed so secure just over a year ago. Ryan Pace was Executive of the Year. Matt Nagy was Coach of the Year. The team had just gone 12-4 and won the division. It looked like things were set up for success in the long-term. Now here they sit. Coming off an 8-8 finish in 2019 and watching a 5-1 start crumbling fast to 5-4 after another lifeless offensive performance in Tennessee.
Team chairman George McCaskey said ownership still believes in Pace and Nagy before the season. However, he made it clear he expected this team to win. Now with the Bears spiraling out of control, it’s fair to wonder if their seats are starting to get hot. Nagy’s offense is an absolute wreck. Something he was hired to fix.
Pace? He’s the one who hired Nagy and also failed to find the Bears a credible option at quarterback. On top of that, he is also in danger of concluding his fifth season in six years without a playoff berth. Guys have been fired for less. So if McCaskey does decide to wipe the slate clean, who are some names he’ll look at?
Chicago Bears GM and head coach possibilities next year
GM:
Hot name: Louis Riddick
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He certainly checks a lot of boxes. He played in the league from 1991 to 1998. So he understands pro players. After retiring, Riddick became a pro scout in Washington where he got to learn under Hall of Fame head coach Joe Gibbs. He eventually became their director of pro personnel from 2005 to 2007. After that, Philadelphia added him as a pro scout and once again he rose up the ranks and by 2010 was their director of pro personnel. A job he would hold until 2013.
After that Riddick entered the analyst world and became a top guy at ESPN, now helping to host Monday Night Football. He comes across as both knowledgeable and charismatics. Somebody who isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. He sees the whole picture. Those are qualities that tend to make for a good GM. Given the success John Lynch has had in San Francisco? This isn’t such a crazy idea.
Players Riddick helped acquire – Santana Moss, London Fletcher, Jason Babin, Evan Mathis, Cullen Jenkins
Bears ties: George Paton
This isn’t a guy who is a high profile name to many. That’s probably because he’s been in the same place for over a decade and been the right-hand man to one of the best GMs in the NFL. Paton was a former scout and personnel director for the Bears in the 1990s up to 2000. He soon followed Rick Spielman (who should’ve been Chicago Bears GM) to Miami and then again to the Minnesota Vikings. He’s started out in their pro personnel department but was promoted to assistant GM in 2012.
A job he’s held ever since. Anytime people want to know the sign a guy might be good at his job in the NFL? Note the fact he holds it for longer than a few years. Teams have sniffed around him the past couple of offseasons. None have pulled the trigger to this point. He’s experienced, has a proven track record, and has learned at the hip of one of the best out there. Throw his Bears ties on top of it? Sounds like a solid idea.
Players Paton helped acquire – Adrian Peterson, Brian Robison, Jared Allen, Percy Harvin, Brett Favre, Everson Griffen, Kyle Rudolph, Harrison Smith, Xavier Rhodes, Cordarrelle Patterson, Anthony Barr, Linval Joseph, Eric Kendrick, Danielle Hunter, Stefon Diggs, Dalvin Cook, Case Keenum, Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson
In-house: Champ Kelly
Quietly one of the most respected pro personnel guys in the league. It’s not an accident the New York Jets showed interest in Kelly to become their GM this past offseason. He’s steadily built a strong reputation for a good talent eye. His work in Denver helped push the Broncos to a Super Bowl championship and his work in Chicago forged one of the best defenses in the NFL for the past three years.
This would mark the first time the Bears elevated somebody from within the organization after firing the GM since Vince Tobin replaced Jerry Vainisi in 1987. It’s not a terrible plan. Kelly has plenty of experience and is ready for his shot. The Bears just better be prepared for a backlash from fans for not seeking an outside option.
Players Kelly helped acquire – Louis Vasquez, Emmanuel Sanders, DeMarcus Ware, T.J. Ward, Aqib Talib, Akiem Hicks, Danny Trevathan, Allen Robinson, Khalil Mack
Head coach:
Hot name: Joe Brady
A lot of people will say Eric Bienemy belongs in this slot. Let’s be honest though. Does anybody envision the Bears dipping into the Chiefs pool again after what’s happened with Nagy? Probably not. However, he’s not the only hot, young offensive coach turning heads. Brady burst onto the scene last year when he led a record-setting LSU offense to a national championship. This resulted in QB Joe Burrow going #1 overall in the draft.
He was then swiftly scooped up by the Carolina Panthers as their new offensive coordinator. Despite a massive roster overhaul with tons of new offensive pieces, the Panthers have already managed to score 30 points or more in a game three times. This despite not having his best player in Christian McCaffrey for over a month. The guy is extremely sharp and learned under Sean Payton in New Orleans.
Bears ties: Brandon Staley
Staley started his ascent in the NFL when the Bears hired him as their outside linebackers coach in 2017. After two strong years, he followed Vic Fangio to Denver where he held the same job last year. This drew the attention of the Los Angeles Rams who quickly scooped him up as their new defensive coordinator. A meteoric rise for the 37-year old.
His performance speaks for itself. Through eight games, the Rams defense ranks #1 in the NFL in yards allowed and 3rd in points allowed. His unit has 25 sacks including four already from discarded former Bears 1st round pick Leonard Floyd. It’s clear this guy has his players executing at a high level. That is what good coaches are supposed to do. Maybe it’s time to bring him back for the big job.
In-house: Chuck Pagano
The Bears defensive coordinator has done a strong job keeping his unit invested and playing well despite the well-documented struggles of the offense. This isn’t a surprise. Pagano has remained a good coach for a long time. People also haven’t forgotten it wasn’t too long ago that he was a head coach. A pretty successful one too.
From 2012 to 2014, Pagano helped lead the Indianapolis Colts to three-straight playoff appearances including a trip to the AFC championship game. His next two years were 8-8 finishes before things bottomed out in 2017. While he got a lot of the blame for that downturn, the reality is he was at the mercy of some truly awful drafting by GM Ryan Grigson during that time. Maybe with a better Chicago Bears GM, he can accomplish more.
