Ideal Replacements For Every Lost Chicago Bears Assistant Coach

It appears John Fox is shaking things up for the 2017 season. Not a surprise given the current configuration of his Chicago Bears coaching staff resulted in a 3-13 season, his second-worst ever as a head coach. There is no doubt his job will be on the line and he has to make sure he gets everything right. Otherwise his time in the NFL could be finished. That starts with finding quality replacements for every assistant coach he has lost. Thus far four of them have departed, some by firing and others by resignation. Running backs coach Stan Drayton was the first to go, accepting a job down at Texas. Offensive line coach Dave Magazu and safeties coach Sam Garnes were the next to fall, being dismissed by the team. Most recently it was outside linebackers coach Clint Hurtt, whose contract wasn't renewed. Filling these slots may seem unimportant compared to other off-season objectives, but every move is important at this point. There is zero room for mistakes. So here are some ideal replacement options for Fox to consider. (continue to next page from top)

Offensive Line:  Kevin Mawae

Sometimes the best thing to do is promote from within. Dave Magazu had worked under John Fox for a long time as his offensive line coach. In fact the unit played pretty well in 2016 under difficult circumstances. Despite injuries to two of their best players, the unit made Jordan Howard the second-leading rusher in the league and allowed just 28 sacks. So it's difficult to understand why the move was made. https://twitter.com/CanalZonaFA/status/808857228547604480 Regardless, the milk is already spilled and the choice for who cleans it up is obvious. Kevin Mawae was hired as an assistant offensive line coach in 2016. His specific job was to help coach rookie Cody Whitehair how to transition from offensive tackle to center. A difficult task but one Mawae, a former eight-time Pro Bowl center, was qualified for. In the end he did a phenomenal job. Whitehair finished ranked as the sixth-best center in the NFL by Pro Football Focus. If anybody on that coaching staff deserves a promotion, it's him.

Outside Linebackers:  Fred Pagac

It looks like the Denver Broncos are making a total change with their head coaching staff. Gary Kubiak has retired, leaving defensive coordinator Wade Phillips a free agent. Already Washington jumped into the sweepstakes to sign him. While that's great for him, it leaves his staff in somewhat of a limbo. Often this is a great opportunity for another team to swipe a quality assistant. [video width="854" height="480" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Von-Miller-Dominates-With-3-Sacks-Week-12-Highlights-Chiefs-vs.-Broncos-NFL.mp4"][/video] The Bears would be foolish not to go after outside linebackers coach Fred Pagac. The 64-year old has been coaching since 1978. Since getting to the NFL in 2001 he's developed somewhat of a reputation for being a pass rush specialist. Every team he has joined sees an immediate uptick in sack production. Since 2001 across five different stops, his teams have averaged 40.1 sacks a season. He now has a Super Bowl ring after doing some outstanding work in Denver. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv1VLvnyWoY

Safeties:  Mike Minter

No position on defense underachieved more than the safeties for the Bears in 2016. Adrian Amos, Harold Jones-Quartey, Deon Bush and Chris Prosinski were almost invisible in the entire year. Always a half second late to fill a run lane and nowhere to be found in coverage. Sam Garnes failed to coach them up enough to even be relevant beyond the occasional stroke of good fortune. What the Bears need is somebody who knows how to have success at the NFL level. That phone call should be to Mike Minter. This man makes perfect sense for a number of reasons. For starters he played 10 seasons and 155 games as a safety in the NFL. He has coaching experience now after switching to the profession in 2011. Best of all? He's connected to John Fox. The two were together for five seasons in Carolina, reach two NFC championships and a Super Bowl.

Running Backs:  Deland McCullough

Now that the Bears have established Jordan Howard as the focal point of their offense, it's imperative they keep him in peak form. Often a great strategy by teams to help ensure this is by bringing in a coach he might be familiar with. Pretty much nobody outside of college football nerds will know the name Deland McCullough, and that's a shame. He's quietly become one of the best running back coaches in the NCAA. The 44-year old played five years of professional ball in the NFL, CFL and even the XFL. He entered coaching in 2000 at the high school level. Ten years later he got his first big shot at his alma mater Miami of Ohio. His ability to identify and develop quality running backs was quickly noticed at Indiana and he was hired by them in 2011, a position he's held since. [video width="854" height="480" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Jordan-Howard-Tears-Through-Vikings-Defense-for-153-Yards-Week-8-Highlights-NFL.mp4"][/video] During the span from then to present day, the Hoosier have produced some of the best rushing attacks in the nation. Tevin Coleman became a third round pick in 2015 after working with McCullough. Then a young transfer named Jordan Howard came under his guidance. Howard turned in a standout year and became the fifth round pick of the Bears in the 2016 draft. The rest is history.