The Chicago Bears' season is over, and that's not the only bad news in Illinois. After an impressive campaign under Ben Johnson's guidance, odds are the team won't be able to keep their coaching staff intact.
That's especially the case with defensive backs coach and defensive passing game coordinator Al Harris. The former cornerback has been tied to multiple positions this season, and with Robert Saleh joining the Tennessee Titans, the writing might be on the wall.
Robert Saleh's Departure May Have Sealed Al Harris' Chicago Bears Exit
Saleh's choice to leave his post with the San Francisco 49ers and join the Titans has opened up another defensive coordinator position. Outside of last year, when they hired Nick Sorensen, the San Francisco 49ers have usually landed top-notch candidates for that spot.
That comes just after Jeff Hafley left the Green Bay Packers to join the Miami Dolphins, and that's another opening. Harris has ties to the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys, two teams also looking to fill that spot.
Harris has already earned his stripes in the league. He's been an assistant coach for the past 14 years, and he has plenty to brag about in his résumé. Under his guidance, both Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland became first-team All-Pro selections and led the league in interceptions. Also, both of them fell off a cliff after he left town.
Now, in Chicago, he helped Kevin Byard III lead the league in picks (7), all while Nahshon Wright (5) was right behind him at No. 2. The Bears led the league with 23 interceptions. While the defense often relied on creating turnovers and big plays, Harris certainly played a big role in their success.
He's due for a bigger challenge, and with other teams like the Cleveland Browns and now the Buffalo Bills also looking to fill new coaching staffs, there are simply too many potential openings for him and not many high-end candidates like him. All things considered, it's almost impossible to think the Bears will be able to retain him unless they offer him a substantial promotion.
The Bears aren't going to move on from Dennis Allen, at least for now. He did a solid job with the hand he was given, considering that the Bears had one of the worst and weakest front sevens in the game. As such, Harris will have to leave town if he wants to get a defense of his own.