Chicago Bears: 5 big questions after press conference

Who will the Chicago Bears hire to replace Chuck Pagano?

Like the quarterback position, there are legitimate questions around who the Bears can realistically get to replace Chuck Pagano as defensive coordinator.

Remember when Pagano was hired, there was concern over the defense having to learn new terminology. However, Pagano was the one who adapted and changed his terminology. Again, if the Bears are in “win-now” mode, and they want an external candidate, they are going to have to find someone who coaches the same system and will adapt in the same way to make the transition as smooth as possible.

The other potential impediment to bringing in a quality external candidate, is it might be tough to attract someone who believes the general manager who hired him and the head coach he’ll be working for are on the hot seat and that he may find himself unemployed at season’s end.

In that regard, the team will have to look for someone who is looking to get back in the league with an opportunity to prove themselves and get another job. That doesn’t mean you can’t find a good candidate out there, but the reality is those coaches do not have jobs for a reason.

Considering how much this team has on the line in 2021, having to replace the coordinator to lead the only functioning unit on the team, and the one primarily responsible for its success, seems like a tall order.