Chicago Bears Continue Seemingly Endless Coordinator Search

It’s been over three weeks since the Chicago Bears began their search for new offensive and defensive coordinators. Candidates like Jeremy Bates, Perry Fewell, Ken Zampese, Rob Chudzinski and Hue Jackson have come and gone (or, in some cases, never came at all), and the search is no closer to resolution.

It’s no secret that the 2010 season is Lovie Smith’s last chance to win or get out, and most agree that the job security of any new coordinator will be predicated on Smith’s success. Is it worth picking up and moving to a new city for a job that will likely last just one year–especially a job with so many restrictions. A new defensive coordinator would essentially be a puppet for Smith, carrying out his defensive scheme and acting with little to no authority.  A new offensive coordinator would essentially be a puppet for Jay Cutler, who has gone through three oc’s in three years. Neither position is ideal for a guy looking to move up the coaching ranks.

As the pool of candidates grows smaller, the jobs become increasingly
harder and harder to fill. If I were a betting woman, I’d say that Rod
Marinelli ends up taking over the defensive coordinator position. At
this point, the quality of applicants will likely only get worse and
worse, and Marinelli already has a solid relationship with Smith. It’s
not an ideal situation, but it’s tough to imagine anyone else stepping
in to such an undesirable position.

On the offensive side, the Bears will meet with Vikings QB coach Kevin
Rogers today, a man who is also rumored to be a candidate for the
offensive coordinator jobs at Syracuse and Virginia. Colts wide
receiver coach Clyde Christensen, who’s busy prepping his team for a
return to the Super Bowl, is another option–one to be pursued after
the big game.

It’s hard to believe, but things look even bleaker now than they did in
early January, when the Three Stooges–Lovie, Jerry and Ted–took to
the podium and insulted fans and media alike with their empty rhetoric.
That day, the decision to hire new coordinators was the only positive
move made by the franchise. Now, as the search drags on and on, it
seems they can’t even get that right. 

 

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