"Overwhelming" Number Of GM/Head Coach Hopefuls Eyeing Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears are not having the season George McCaskey hoped for when he decided to retain Matt Nagy as head coach and Ryan Pace as GM. He stated clearly he wanted to see "progress" from the organization after a disappointing 8-8 finish in 2020. Instead what he's gotten is a team that is 4-7 and once again boasts one of the worst offenses in the NFL. There just aren't enough reasons to keep those two around after this season. Right? Thankfully that appears to be the case. According to NFL insider Johnathan Jones of CBS Sports, it is a foregone conclusion that Nagy will be fired at the end of the season. Expectations are that Pace will also follow him out the door as well. That means the two top jobs in the organization will be free. Where it gets truly interesting though is how the franchise is viewed around the league.

It sounds like there will be no shortage of suitors clamoring for those spots.

"Whether it happens today, or tomorrow, or any day between now and Jan. 10 following the final game of the regular season, Bears head coach Matt Nagy will be relieved of his duties in Chicago. It's likely that general manager Ryan Pace will meet a similar fate, and it'll be the dawn of a new era in the Windy City. With more than a month left in the regular season, the Bears job — either one of them — seems like it'll be the best one on the market. That's the overwhelming response I've gotten from sources around the league and coaches and personnel execs gear up for a new hiring/firing cycle."

It isn't hard to buy that. Unlike most organizations that typically clean out at the top, the Bears aren't short on talent. They have a defense that still features a number of talents like Khalil Mack, Robert Quinn, Roquan Smith, and Eddie Jackson. Of course, Justin Fields is the big selling point but they also have David Montgomery and Darnell Mooney on offense. Not to mention some intriguing guys with untapped potential like Cole Kmet, Larry Borom, and Teven Jenkins. There are far worse situations for a new head coach and GM to step into. Getting schemes fixed and making some tweaks to the roster? It isn't a stretch to think this can be a playoff team. That is how talented Fields is and how solid the foundation looks on paper. It is an odd feeling. A position the Bears aren't usually in whenever they've started over with a new regime. [video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Justin-Fields-hits-2-HUGE-passes-to-take-the-lead-vs.-Steelers-1.mp4"][/video]

Chicago Bears still have to get this right

It is a good thing that top coaches and GM will want to join the organization. However, it still falls to McCaskey and his inner circle to pick the right people. Something he has yet to do since taking over as team chairman back in 2011. His head coaching hires thus far?

• Marc Trestman
• John Fox
• Matt Nagy

His GMs?

• Phil Emery
• Ryan Pace

An inauspicious track record thus far. This might explain the rumors that Chicago may end up targeting men with prior experience in both positions. Guys with established reputations. Not a bad plan. Especially for an owner with no background in football. What it comes down to is finding the right people. Both for Fields and the city of Chicago.

Who will that be?

Only time will tell. The Bears have started their research on potential candidates. With six games still to play, it is unlikely they have made any final decisions. If both men are indeed out as Jones says, then smart money says the organization will seek a GM first. Then he will hire the head coach.