Hope Remains For Achieving Bears Biggest 2018 Priority

Hiring a head coach? Getting Mitch Trubisky some wide receivers? Both of those could qualify as the Chicago Bears biggest 2018 priority. The reasons are obvious. John Fox hasn't won enough football games. Trubisky can't throw with any consistency. However, there are more than a few people who would agree the top duty of this team is finding a way to retain defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Understand that with two games left in the season, the Bears defense ranks 12th in points allowed and 8th in total yards allowed. This despite having six original starters from opening day on Injured Reserve with various injuries. That is a testament of the impact Fangio has. His scheming, game planning and ability to elevate his player is not common. In essence the Bears have encountered another Buddy Ryan situation. While changing head coaches is inevitable at this point, is it possible for them to retain a high quality assistant? Opinions vary on that subject. Some think he's all but gone. Others hold out hope that there may be a way.

Hopes of retaining Vic Fangio may have gotten a vital boost

While only Fangio himself knows whether he'd like to stay or not, the Bears at least got a bit good fortune towards that end. The prevailing belief for months was Fangio had a desire to return to the west coast and rejoin the San Francisco 49ers. In fact they explored the idea of bringing him back briefly this past off-season, but were rebuffed by the Bears brass. Now according to NBC Sports, it appears that window has closed.

But with two games remaining in his first season as 49ers’ defensive coordinator, Saleh has proven himself and will unquestionably be back in the same role next season, Shanahan said. “Yeah, there’s no doubt about that,” Shanahan said on “49ers Game Plan,” which is scheduled to air Saturday at 3 p.m. on NBC Bay Area (Ch. 3). “Robert has been great. I think he’s gotten better throughout the year, and I think he’ll be even better next year. Robert has a great future ahead of him. And I feel very fortunate that he’s the coordinator for the Niners.”

With the 49ers off the table, it removes a prominent location Fangio knows that he'd wish to return to. This in turn opens the door for the Bears to try enticing him again to stay on moving forward. The key will be offering him a palatable package. That would entail more money, of course and also the prospect of working under a head coach he respects. If the Bears could lure in a top offensive mind, somebody who could get more out of Mitch Trubisky, then Fangio might be intrigued by continuing his work on that defense. It comes down to time and negotiation.