Should the Chicago Bears hire Leslie Frazier as head coach?

Recent success is something that the Chicago Bears might be looking for.

The Buffalo Bills hired Sean McDermott as head coach in 2017 and he tabbed Frazier as his defensive coordinator.

Buffalo’s defense has had the following rankings during Frazier’s tenure:

• 2017: 18th in points allowed, 26th in total yards, 9th in turnovers, 20th in passing yards allowed, and 29th in rushing yards allowed.
• 2018: 18th in points allowed, 2nd in total yards allowed, 8th in turnovers, 1st in passing yards allowed, and 16th in rushing yards allowed.
• 2019: 2nd in points allowed, 3rd in total yards given up, 10th in turnovers, 4th in passing yards allowed, and 10th in rushing yards yielded.
• 2020: 16th in points given up, 14th in total yards allowed, 3rd in takeaways, 13th in passing yards allowed, and 17th in rushing yards gained.
• 2021: 1st in points, total yards, and passing yards allowed; 3rd in turnovers, and 13th in rushing yards given up.

The one area that pops out is that Frazier’s defenses can create turnovers. Getting takeaways has been a problem for the Bears since 2019.

Buffalo’s defense has 187 total sacks, with 2017 being the only season a Frazier defense did not have more than 30.

They are coming off a playoff win against New England. Not only was the offense brilliant, but the defense played well in its own right.

He is well respected amongst his players according to local reporters.

The Bills are 49-32 with three playoff wins, two AFC East crowns, and an AFC Championship Game appearance.

He does work with a current potential future offensive coordinator in Ken Dorsey.

Final Takeaways

There are a few things to take away from Frazier’s coaching history. One, he has been around winning. He has over 200 wins combined as a head coach or assistant in the NFL or Division I college.

Two, he can definitely coach defense. The numbers speak for themselves. Third, he is respected by his players.

He comes with a big failure that raises huge red flags. He was unable to develop a quarterback during his head coaching tenure at Minnesota. The Bears need a head coach with a vision to develop Justin Fields.

Frazier’s track record seems to be lacking in that area. That might cost him a chance at landing the Bears job. Then again, do not underestimate his ties to Bill Polian.