The Chicago Bears are continuing to search for a new head coach. They've already interviewed several candidates and have even more lined up. It felt like only a matter of time before the first domino fell across the league. Sure enough, it came in New England, where the Patriots reached an agreement with Mike Vrabel to become their next coach. It was by far the least shocking development of the season. Vrabel won three Super Bowls in New England as a linebacker. He's had success coaching in Tennessee. It was a natural fit.
It will inevitably impact the Bears beyond just taking a prominent name off the board. This development removes what was arguably the biggest threat to Chicago for the services of Ben Johnson. Many believe if the Patriots hadn't gone with Vrabel, they would've been the favorites to land the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator. With them out of the picture, only Las Vegas and Jacksonville remain as threats. The Raiders have no quarterback, and the Jaguars refuse to fire embattled GM Trent Baalke.
The Chicago Bears remain in a good spot.
There is no reason to panic about Vrabel's move to the Patriots. Everybody saw it coming. Widespread belief is the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets will battle it out for Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Neither have interviews lined up with Johnson. The Chicago Bears have no reason to alter their process. If anything, they can exhale a little bit. They have several options left on the table worth considering. Johnson is one. Pete Carroll could be a good emergency possibility. Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken is gaining a ton of steam. Mike McCarthy still hasn't signed an extension in Dallas. Unless they become completely sidetracked by an unexpected name in the next one or two weeks, they should come away with somebody the fans can get on board with.
