Bears are given the green light to expedite the head coaching search after latest news regarding one of the team's top options
The Chicago Bears' coaching search is starting to heat up heading into Week 18 and will continue to gain even more steam after the season comes to a close.Due to the NFL's new interview rules, teams are prohibited from requesting interviews with candidates from other teams until the third day after the candidate teams’ Week 18 […]
The Chicago Bears' coaching search is starting to heat up heading into Week 18 and will continue to gain even more steam after the season comes to a close.
Due to the NFL's new interview rules, teams are prohibited from requesting interviews with candidates from other teams until the third day after the candidate teams’ Week 18 game and interviews must be held virtually before the end of divisional-round games.
So, there's still some time until things really start to heat up, but teams with openings, such as the Bears, are already starting to get the ball rolling.
The Bears gave themselves a five-week head start on the process after firing head coach Matt Eberflus following the team's Thanksgiving Day loss to the Detroit Lions. The Bears are reportedly already doing some digging and now have been given the green light to expedite the process with one candidate in particular.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Mike Vrabel's consulting agreement with the Cleveland Browns expired on Monday, meaning he is now free to interview with any of the three teams with current head coach openings.
The former Tennessee Titans' head coach has been a hot name in this year's cycle and is expected to land back in the big chair for some team this offseason. Earlier this month, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler considered the Bears to be a fascinating landing spot for Vrabel and six days later, Albert Breer noted that Vrabel is at the top of the Bears' head coach list while appearing on ESPN radio.
Vrabel fits the "leader of men" role the Bears are searching for in their next coach but Breer added on Monday that if the preferred candidate isn't an offensive-minded head coach, "then he’d have to have a very clear and sustainable plan for the quarterback."
That's where rookie franchise quarterback Caleb Williams comes into play in all of this. Williams is the Bears' best draw for top coordinators to come to Chicago, but team president Kevin Warren and general manager Ryan Poles will want each candidate to lay out their own plans for Williams' growth in Chicago.
As a defensive-minded head coach, that's where things get complicated with Vrabel and he'll need to have his answer to that question ready soon. In terms of his offensive coordinator options, Breer suggested Tommy Rees and Josh McDaniels but another option could be New York Giants' HC Brian Daboll if he gets fired after Week 18.
Vrabel is going to have to iron out that preferred coordinator option in charge of running his potential option before he meets with the Bears. We'll see how long it takes for the Bears to bring him in and get things really rolling on the search.
One candidate for the Bears’ HC opening is reportedly garnering ‘strong reviews’ but there’s one major caveat he would have to answer for
A strong candidate if he can clear everything up.
