Why Chicago Bears Curiously Passed On Coaching East-West Shrine Bowl

Rumors circulated a month ago that the Chicago Bears were poised to send their coaching staff to the East-West Shrine Bowl. The idea was they'd be able to coach several incoming 2023 draft prospects, getting a look at possible future contributors for their roster. The typical procedure is for the two teams with the worst records to coach this game. However, it was eventually announced that the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons would be handling the event instead. That means the Bears chose to pass on the opportunity.

It is a curious decision. One would think the team would relish the chance to get up close with some potential future NFL starters. They must have their reasons. Indeed they do. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune shed some light on the subject. It appears two key factors drove the decision. One was a desire by the coaching staff to get some vacation time after a difficult year. The other is so they can focus on the Senior Bowl and free agency. It's believed more value will come from those events than the East-West game.

That isn't an incorrect evaluation.

A league source indicated the Bears are not expected to send their coaching staff to the East-West Shrine Bowl later this month to coach during the week and in the Feb. 2 game...

...The Bears coaching staff has been going full speed for nearly a year now since Matt Eberflus assembled it and will need to complete season evaluations before getting vacation time. When the coaches return, the team is expected to dive into preparation for free agency, which will be a busy period with roster needs almost across the board and more than $100 million in available cap space.

By skipping a week in Las Vegas for the East-West, the Bears will not interrupt that process and can transition into preparing for the scouting combine and college pro days.

It makes sense, especially because the Senior Bowl assembled a stronger roster of players as usual. Last year 106 players who participated in the Senior Bowl were drafted and 45 had their names called in the first three rounds. Six were selected in the first round.

The Chicago Bears are demonstrating common sense.

One thing you never want to do is spread yourself too thin when on the job. While the East-West Shrine Bowl is an important part of the pre-draft process, it isn't known for producing the most NFL talent. Most players who work the event usually end up on practice squads or out of the league. The Senior Bowl is far more consistent at generating future contributors. Chicago also has more cap space than any team this year. So it makes sense they'd want to focus extra time on potential free agents they could add.

Everybody inside Halas Hall recognizes the opportunity at hand. If they handle this off-season correctly, the Chicago Bears could be set up for a bright future. They have cap space and the #1 overall pick. These next few months could lay the foundation for something special. Wasting precious time on an event that rarely yields big results makes little sense. Matt Eberflus and his staff deserve credit for understanding when to budget their time. It stands to benefit the organization a few months from now.