Ben Johnson appeared to be the name at the top of the Chicago Bears‘ list as of “Black Monday.” However, the Bears’ chances of landing Johnson seem to get slimmer by the passing day.
The Las Vegas Raiders made a strong appeal to the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator during their virtual meeting with Johnson last week. At 38, the idea of joining a team without a general manager is more ideal than going to Chicago with Ryan Poles on the hot seat.
With Johnson and the Raiders abuzz, Chicago must look at other candidates. Former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy are among some of the best names of experienced head coaches on the market.
The Chicago Bears are predicted to land an NFC North DC
ESPN’s Dan Graziano predicted the Bears will Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who also has head coach experience in the league. (Graziano has the Raiders hiring Johnson.)
“The Bears’ list of candidates is massive, and Flores still hasn’t been allowed to interview with Chicago because Minnesota made the playoffs,” Graziano wrote. “But this is the name that comes up the most when I ask people around the NFL to make a prediction. Flores led the No. 5 scoring defense (19.5 points allowed per game), and the Vikings finished tied for fourth in sacks with 49. There are hurdles for Flores — who appears to be a strong candidate for the Jets job, as well — to clear before any team can hire him.
“That’s especially true in Chicago; there will be questions about his past relationship with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in Miami as the Bears evaluate him as a candidate to shepherd Caleb Williams’ development. But by all accounts, it sounds like Flores has made a very different impression on people in Minnesota than he did in Miami…One more relevant note here: Flores and Bears GM Ryan Poles both went to Boston College, so there’s a connection there.”
Brian Flores had issues with another developing QB
Flores went 24-25 in his three seasons as head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Tua and Flores had a rough relationship during those three years, with the quarterback recently telling the Dan Le Batard Show and Stugotz that Flores was a “terrible” person.
“To put it in simplest terms,” Tagovailoa said via a transcript of NFL media, “if you woke up every morning, and I told you that you suck at what you did, that you don’t belong doing what you do, that you shouldn’t be here, that this guy should be here, that you haven’t earned this right.”
Tua has played much better under Mike McDaniel, which is something to consider with Chicago wanting their next coach to elevate Caleb Williams.
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