Chicago Bears: Sneaky defensive coordinator candidates to replace Pagano
By Ryan Heckman
The Chicago Bears may want to go a sneaky route when replacing Chuck Pagano.
Only a few days into the offseason, and things are getting interesting for the Chicago Bears. Just last night, defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano made the decision to step away from football for good. Pagano is retiring, leaving the Bears without a defensive coordinator.
In a roundabout way, many Bears fans got their wish. Pagano retiring means the Bears do not have to fire him, but also have the privilege of moving on.
Under Pagano for the last two years, the Bears defense has looked much different than it did with Vic Fangio. Pagano’s approach is the polar opposite of what Fangio brought to the table, and it showed week-in and week-out.
This Bears defense features plenty of talent, starting with Khalil Mack. With Mack leading the charge and guys like Akiem Hicks, Roquan Smith and Eddie Goldman joining him within the front seven, Chicago should have one of the more lethal groups in 2021. But, they need the right coach to take advantage of this talent.
In 2020, the Bears were towards the middle of the pack with just 35 sacks on the year — the league lead was 56. Mack finished in single digits with nine and newcomer Robert Quinn was nowhere to be found. This unit needs a shakeup at the coordinator position.
It’s time to find someone who will get this group to play to their potential by playing aggressive.
With several qualified candidates being mentioned for promotions, the Bears could go the route of finding someone who may sneak through the cracks, yet would be a strong candidate to replace Pagano. Three coaches who fit that mold make the most sense.