From the outside, the Chicago Bears look like an organization that has no idea what it wants. This is the only explanation many have for why their search for a head coach has ballooned to 20 candidates. They've already met with nine, and more loom on the horizon. Some around the league believe this is a signal that they have no clue what they're looking for and are hoping this wide-net approach helps them figure it out. While an understandable assumption, it's worth mentioning their previous searches were smaller and still didn't yield good results.
In truth, the big fear among fans is that the team's approach is not going well, and they're flailing around like a fish out of water. Josina Anderson, one of the more well-connected insiders in the league, was asked about the situation. She had some surprising nuggets. While she isn't prone to giving up many details, her comments were still enlightening.
It appears GM Ryan Poles and team president Kevin Warren spent the weeks after firing Matt Eberflus building a picture of how the coaching search would unfold and reached their conclusions weeks ago. Not only that, but Anderson suggests they even have a primary target.
The Chicago Bears seem to have a course set.
If what Anderson says is true, it's not hard to connect the dots. Whoever their preferred coaching candidate is, he is likely still involved in the playoffs. Those guys aren't permitted to take in-person interviews until after January 20th. That leaves the Bears with two options. They can either wait around twiddling their thumbs or try to fill the time by interviewing other candidates. It is a great way to not only pinpoint other quality options but also gather information on how successful organizations operate and how they'd go about fixing the problems that have bedeviled Chicago.
It sounds like answers won't be forthcoming for some time yet. The Chicago Bears may have an ugly perception around them, but the idea they went into this month without a plan was always foolish. They had over a month to prepare. Say what you want about Poles and Warren, but both are known for being smart individuals. They knew what they wanted to do. Whether it works out as they hope remains to be seen.
