clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Where do you rank the Chicago Bears head coaching vacancy?

ESPN Insiders had the Bears head coaching vacancy as the worst opening of the six.

If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

NFL: Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Right now there are six head coaching jobs available in the National Football League. The Chicago Bears, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts and the Oakland Raiders are currently seeking new head coaches.

How would you rank those job openings?

I’ll admit that as a Bears’ fan, I’m probably biased, but there’s no way the Bears’ opening is the worst of these six is there?

According to a recent ESPN Insider article the Bears’ opening is the worst.

(Insert eye roll GIF now)

Before I get into the specifics of that article, I wanted to share some of their reasoning from the television side of things earlier on Tuesday.

(A WTF GIF would be appropriate now)

A quarterback controversy in Chicago? Mitchell Trubisky is heading into the 2018 season as the clear cut #1. I can’t imagine what dope said that.

Free agent to be Prince Amukamara is a positive for next year? While I think Prince could get a new deal next year, I don’t see him as a priority signing.

The ESPN Insider article included “insight from coaches, execs and other league insiders,” but it was all done anonymously.

Here’s why they picked the Bears’ job as the worst.

The Bears are excited about 2017 first-round quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, but what is he? One insider called him an unknown mound of clay -- a player to be molded with care, but one whose final form remains a mystery. Chicago also lacks the offensive weaponry on the perimeter that distinguishes the Lions, Raiders and Giants.

The Bears do hold the eighth overall choice in the draft, and their defense ranked 13th in efficiency last season (Denver was the only other team with a losing record that ranked among the top 13 teams in that category).

Fourth-year GM Ryan Pace received a contract extension this week, which could hint at stability, but he and departing coach John Fox share the same 14-34 record to this point in the rebuild. What happens if there's more tough sledding in the short term while Green Bay, Minnesota and Detroit dominate the NFC North? The Bears' next coach could find himself inheriting a new GM in a couple of years, is what.

Their defense is solid and the offense was clearly handcuffed by the scheme in 2017. Injuries at wide out and tight end hurt them as well.

I wonder how Trubisky would have fared with Zach Miller and/or Cameron Meredith playing last season.

The USA Today also ranked the six job openings and they had the Bears as the number three destination.

Here’s what they had to say.

Assets: RBs Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen look to be jelling into a dynamic backfield combo. Chicago appears to be solid in the trenches, especially if G Kyle Long can get healthy. LB Leonard Floyd can be a force off the edge, and S Adrian Amos is a budding star for an underrated defense that might be ready to define the Bears' identity.

Liabilities: Mitchell Trubisky needs to become the franchise quarterback GM Ryan Pace envisioned when making an expensive draft day trade to get him in 2017. Trubisky showed flashes as a rookie but needs the kind of counseling from a gifted offensive mind that clearly benefited Rams QB Jared Goff in his sophomore season under Sean McVay's tutelage. Trubisky also needs upgrades to what is arguably the league's worst receiving corps. The pass defense must also get better in a division featuring Rodgers and Stafford.

How is Trubisky a liability? Why wouldn’t a “gifted offensive mind” look at Trubisky, and what he had to work with in 2017, and get fired up at what he can do with him in his scheme?

The way the USA Today ranks the openings is exactly how I would rank them. Oakland, Detroit, Chicago, New York, Indianapolis, and then Arizona.

EDIT: Early this morning SB Nation ranked the openings and they had the Bears;’ job as the 2nd best. Here’s their reasoning;

Pros to the Bears job:

- Mitchell Trubisky remains something of a blank slate, but he showed enough flashes in his rookie season that he could be molded into something good.

- Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen have the look of a top running back duo.

- The defense is feisty and kept the Bears in games they otherwise had no business winning.

- Fans will be happy with any signs of progress after four straight seasons with double-digit losses.

- A new extension for general manager Ryan Pace ensures continuity in the front office.

Cons to the Bears job:

- If Trubisky is a dud, then the new head coach is stuck with a bad investment he didn’t make.

- That’s a risk some candidates might not be willing to take, especially with a lack of weapons at receiver.

- The defense will undoubtedly regress if defensive coordinator Vic Fangio leaves.

How do you rank the six openings?