Jobs will be on the line Sunday afternoon. People talk about Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace the most, but there are others fighting for their livelihoods on those staffs too. Probably one who could be in the hottest water among assistants is Chuck Pagano. The defensive coordinator had the difficult task of replacing Vic Fangio back in 2019. Things started off well enough but over time people have started to wonder if the veteran coach was doing more harm than good.
After finishing 2018 as the #1 defense in the NFL, the Bears have since gone from #4 last season to #9 this year. A clear downward trend that is punctuated by a substantial lack of impact plays. Just 66 sacks and 20 interceptions in almost two full seasons. Given the amount of talent on that roster, it’s not the sort of productivity people expected.
Pagano also has a lot of critics regarding his scheme. They’ve called it “vanilla” and “predictable.” It doesn’t do enough to keep opposing quarterbacks and coaches off-balance and guessing. He relies too much on the players being great at all times rather than trying to help them. This is why there is a groundswell of people calling for him to be fired once the season ends, whether Nagy survives or not.
If this does happen, who might replace him? Here is a shortlist of names worth watching.
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Chuck Pagano replacements list is fairly intriguing
In-house:
Jay Rodgers (DL coach) – One of the few holdovers from the Fangio era. Rodgers has established himself as one of the best defensive line coaches in the NFL. His ability to routinely get the best out of his players whether they be highly-paid stars like Akiem Hicks or journeyman like Mario Edwards Jr. or late round picks like Bilal Nichols is a testament to his coaching prowess. Many feel if he can do that for his position group, why not give him a shot at running the entire defense? This guy worked under Nick Saban at LSU, Jack Del Rio in Denver, and of course Fangio in Chicago.
Mark DeLeone (ILBs coach) – Another group that has excelled over the past two years is the inside linebackers. Roquan Smith has morphed into a star. Danny Trevathan is still good. Both Nick Kwiatkoski and Kevin Pierre-Louis were terrific as reserves in 2019. DeLeone deserves a ton of credit for that productivity. He’s learned under some great coaches from Urban Meyer to Andy Reid and Fangio. The crazy thing is he’s only 33-years old. He has the feel of a potential hidden gem.
Veterans:
Dan Quinn (former Falcons head coach) – While his tenure as a head coach in Atlanta will be remembered for painful collapses in big moments, Quinn has a near spotless reputation as a defensive coordinator. He was the architect of the famed 2013 Seattle Seahawks unit that dominated all the way to the Super Bowl. His defense finished #1 in points and yards allowed both seasons he was in charge. Even in college, it was the same case. At Florida, his Gators ranked 21st his first season and jumped to 5th by his second. This guy routinely gets the most out of his players.
Rex Ryan (former Bills head coach) – One of the more curious absences in the NFL coaching ranks the past few years as been Ryan. He hasn’t been in the league since 2017, opting instead to stick with a job on ESPN. Strange considering he’s still just 58-years old and is respected as one of the better defensive minds in the league. Between his defensive coordinator and head coaching gigs, Ryan produced a top 10 defense nine times. He’s flirted with a return the past couple of years but hasn’t jumped yet. A chance to coach the defense that made his father famous would have to sound appealing.
Rising stars:
Jerod Mayo (Patriots ILBs coach) – One former Patriots linebacker in Mike Vrabel has turned into an excellent coach. Now there is a major buzz that another in Mayo is heading in that direction. A consummate leader on the field in his playing days, which has translated to his work coaching the linebackers in New England. His intelligence stands out constantly and the ability to adjust and communicate is a big part of that defense’s success. He is ready for that next step.
Larry Foote (Buccaneers OLBs coach) – Another former linebacker with impeccable credentials. Foote won a pair of Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After retiring in 2015, he swiftly got into coaching and became an instant hit. He became outside linebackers coaching Arizona by 2016. In his first year both his starters, Chandler Jones and Markus Golden cracked more than 11 sacks. Then in 2019, he got 19.5 sacks out of Shaq Barrett for Tampa Bay. As an understudy of Todd Bowles, he has that aggressive mentality Chuck Pagano has lacked.
