With the long weekend behind them, it appears the Bears are on the verge of bolstering their defensive coaching staff. On Monday, head coach Matt Eberflus shed some light on the situation, saying that if the team were to hire a staff member, it would be a senior defensive analyst – or someone to help the team with advanced preparation and someone who may have different views on how the team can attack opponents attack.
“I don’t have any names, I don’t have a timeline for it right now,” Eberflus said. “But that will come shortly. And we look forward to adding that – if we choose to.”
The Bears have been without a defensive coordinator for most of the season, as former defensive coordinator Alan Williams left the team ahead of Week 2 and ultimately resigned to focus on his health and family. In his absence, Eberflus took over the defensive duties. During the week, the Bears rely on their position coaches to be involved in the game plan. Eberflus said he plans to continue using defensive players even if the Bears add someone to the team.
Of course, the Bears can only add coaches who are available and interested. They must also fit well into Eberflus’ scheme and program. Rod Marinelli seemed like a good fit, as Eberlus calls him a mentor and Eberflus worked on Marinelli’s staff in Dallas for several years. However, Eberflus said Monday that Marinelli “feels very comfortable in retirement.” With Marinelli no longer at the table, four options immediately come to mind: Lovie Smith, Gary Pinkel, Leslie Frazier and Charles Tillman. Here’s how and why not every man might be right for the job.
LOVIE SMITH
Smith did a good job for the Bears by winning his final game as head coach of the Houston Texans – and giving the Bears the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft. Would he want to help them more? The defense Smith ran when he was the Bears’ head coach from 2004 to 2012 is similar to Eberflus’ defense, and Eberflus’ HITS principles include the same breads Smith handed out when he was in Chicago. The two coaches seem to see the game the same way, so there should be no doubt about the fit. The offensive struggles under Smith’s leadership held them back from their ultimate goal, but he led some of the best defenses in franchise history. He has undeniable success with this plan. George McCaskey may have fond memories of some of those successes, but Eberflus may not want a familiar face back at Halas Hall when questions recently arose about his future.
GARY PINKEL
Eberflus often cites Pinkel as one of his greatest mentors. Pinkel coached Eberflus for one season when Flus played linebacker at Toledo. It was Pinkel who also gave Eberflus his first coaching job, and when Pinkel moved from Toledo to Missouri, he brought Eberflus with him and made Flus his defensive coordinator. Pinkel is a Hall of Fame coach but retired in 2015 when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. At the time, Pinkel said he wanted to focus on his health and that of his family during treatment. He may not want to return to football. Additionally, Flus said he would prefer his lead defensive analyst to have experience in the NFL, but Pinkel does not.
LESLIE FRAZIER
Frazier stepped down from coaching prior to the 2023 season and had stated intentions to return to coaching in 2024. If he still wants to return, the Bears should consider bringing him on board. Frazier has an incredible amount of experience in Eberflus’ system and has helped build the Bills into one of the most formidable defenses in the league. Additionally, he worked with Tremaine Edmunds and helped Edmunds become a premier pass-defensive linebacker. Of course, Frazier has ties to Chicago as a member of the popular ’85 Bears. Frazier suffered a career-ending injury in Super Bowl XX, leaving him unable to finish the game, but he led the team with six interceptions that season. But Frazier may want a second shot at head coaching, and he may not see the Bears as a good springboard for that opportunity.
CHARLES TILLMAN
Tillman is one of the best cornerbacks who can play the style Eberflus wants, and his peanut punch has changed the way defenders play the ball. We also know that Eberflus loves Tillman and let Tillman speak to the team twice. Who better to help us with fresh ideas? The problem is, last we heard, Tillman is still working for the FBI. Additionally, Tillman has no coaching experience. It’s unclear whether Tillman’s long playing career is enough for the type of experience Eberflus is looking for in the “senior defensive analyst” role, but he may want someone who brings a certain level of familiarity as a coach.
Eberflus said the team is considering a few people to be senior defensive analysts and he has received a lot of positive feedback from potential hires.
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