Division rival could poach Bears' defensive coordinator candidate
The Chicago Bears will soon be facing some opposition from a division rival in their search to hire their next defensive coordinator. On Wednesday, the Green Bay Packers announced that they have moved on from defensive coordinator Joe Barry and will begin their own search to find their next defensive play-caller for the 2024 season. […]
The Chicago Bears will soon be facing some opposition from a division rival in their search to hire their next defensive coordinator.
On Wednesday, the Green Bay Packers announced that they have moved on from defensive coordinator Joe Barry and will begin their own search to find their next defensive play-caller for the 2024 season.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, two names could come up in the Packers' search that have previous ties with head coach Matt LaFleur: Atlanta Falcons assistant head coach Jerry Gray and Tennessee Titans passing game coordinator Chris Harris.
Gray worked on the Packers' coaching staff under LaFleur from 2020-2022 but reportedly could follow former Falcons' defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen who was hired to serve the same role with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Harris interviewed for the Packers' defensive coordinator job back in 2021 and reportedly did well in the process before the job ultimately went to Barry. Harris served as the passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach with the Titans under former head coach Mike Vrabel in 2023.
Harris is one of the two known candidates the Bears have reached out to in regards for their own vacant defensive coordinator position on head coach Matt Eberflus' coaching staff. The other known candidate for the vacant role is Titans' assistant head coach and defensive line coach Terrell Williams.
Harris played four total seasons with the Bears after being selected with the 181st overall pick in the 6th round of the 2005 NFL Draft. His name has been widely discussed over the past few days with the Jaguars also considering him for their vacant defensive coordinator position before deciding to hire Nielsen onto head coach Doug Pederson's coaching staff.
The Bears have already announced the official hiring of offensive coordinator Shane Waldron who will join the coaching staff after previously serving in the same role with the Seattle Seahawks. The Bears will have to expedite the search for a new defensive coordinator before the Packers potentially steal one of their top candidates.
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