Bears Eyeing 2 More College Coaches for Open Job
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson's coaching staff continues to expand. Declan Doyle and Dennis Allen have already been hired as the offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively, and the Bears now appear to be focused on hiring a reliable offensive line coach.
Notre Dame OL coach Joe Rudolph is one name the Bears are reportedly looking at after reaching the CFP National Championship with the Fighting Irish. The first targeted name isn't always the best fit, though, which has led to Chicago eyeing two more collegiate coaches for the vacant position.
Bears to Interview College OL Coaches Justin Frye, Dan Roushar
On Wednesday, The Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs reported that the Bears are attempting to interview two collegiate OL coaches for their opening: Ohio State's Justin Frye and Tulane's Dan Roushar. The two potential candidates bring vastly different amounts of NFL experience to the table.
#Bears are interviewing Ohio State OL coach Justin Frye for the OL job today. He's been in the college ranks since 2007 after a playing career at Indiana. Tulane OL coach Dan Roushar also expected to interview for the job. Roushar had a 10-year run as a coach with the Saints.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) January 29, 2025
Much like Rudolph, Frye has yet to hold an NFL job. The 41-year-old tackle-turned-coach has cut his teeth around the NCAA since the 2007 season, working with various programs including Indiana, Florida, Temple, Boston College, UCLA, and, most recently, Ohio State since 2022.
After the Buckeyes' O-line was among the nation's better units last season, it's understandable why the Bears would like to add Frye to Johnson's staff.
On the flip side, Roushar offers much more professional experience. After spending 27 years in various college coaching roles, the Clinton, IA native joined the New Orleans Saints as a running backs coach in 2013. He was soon promoted to OL coach in 2016, holding that job for a total of five seasons.
Roushar hasn't coached in the NFL since 2022, meaning it'd be interesting to see what he could do in Chicago. He was also a run game coordinator and tight ends coach during his time with the Saints, so it's possible he could be hired for a similar role under Johnson if Frye ends up winning the OL coaching job.
At the end of the day, it's encouraging to see the Bears interviewing multiple candidates rather than rushing through the process. With Chicago's playoff drought now reaching four seasons, Johnson can't afford to miss on any of his coaching hires if he wants to end that slump.
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