By now most Chicago Bears fans are familiar with the likely hot names that are going to get the attention come January when teams start their search for new head coaches. They figure to be one of those teams with John Fox on his way out. It's a matter if figuring out which of them might end up being the target for GM Ryan Pace. This of course presuming he remains in charge as expected.
It starts of course with Josh McDaniels. The longtime New England Patriots offensive coordinator is once again headlining a top five offense. He's still just 41-years old and respected as one of the top play callers in football. On the flip side Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is a newcomer to the conversation. Having just gotten control of calling plays a few weeks ago, the Chiefs offense has exploded.
Perhaps the most impressive performance this year is by Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur. Despite losing their top running back and top two quarterbacks, he's managed to put together the eighth ranked offense in the NFL. He's followed by Frank Reich, coordinator of the highly successful Philadelphia Eagles offense. Any one of those men sound like good choices.
However, there may be another the Bears are overlooking.
Insider warns Chicago Bears not to look past Steve Wilks
Sometimes the NFL is all about connections. Some people might not remember the name Steve Wilks in Chicago and that's a shame. He was the Bears defensive backs coach during their 2006 Super Bowl season. A true disciple for Ron Rivera who has enjoyed a streak of success going back over a decade. He is now defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers and earning newfound respect. Peter Schrager of Good Morning Football now sees him as a top candidate.Wilks is 48-years old. His impact on the Panthers defense has been impossible to ignore. Last year they ranked a distant 21st in the NFL. Since he took over this season they jumped all the way up to fifth. That's a monumental improvement. He's also gotten double digit sack seasons from a 37-year old Julius Peppers and career reserve Mario Addison. He's been the assistant head coach at Carolina for three years now. The man is smart, experienced and clearly a capable leader. If the Bears were looking for somebody to bring back some of that old mojo they had 10 years ago, this might be their guy.
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