If the top 3 choices for the Bears really are Johnson, Monken and McCarthy....

[UChiLAbear]

True, but at the same time, Bears hired him right after he directly cost them a playoff game.

And before people claim Ben Johnson did the same, Ben had 1 bad call and a QB playing like ass, and the Lions still scored 31 points. Matt Nagy's Chief's team scored 21.

And they were shut out in the 2nd half of that game. 21-3 was the Half Time score.

 

[msadows]

You aren't wrong. But that's also why I think the Bears aggressively try to fix the line if they get Ben Johnson. I don't think he comes here without a guarantee that they will do everything in their power to beef that line up.

How do you plan to aggressively fix it?

There arent that many top notch FA OL out there, and the bears wont be the only team with money wanting them. The draft is always a toss up especially considering Poles track record.

I have faith he will throw resources at the OL but I have no faith yet it will be much better, at least not to the lions level of good.

 

[Neckbeard]

IMO, the line can improve via coaching, plus a couple round 2 IOL selections. Remember how often the biggest issue was assignments and how to pick up stunts? Fix that, the players look a ton better off the bat. Get some quality new rookie blood in there and it'll be far more stable for the next few years.

 

[bearsfan1977]

Monken has been with the Ravens for two years and what precisely did he build in Baltimore that wasn't already in place?

In what way has he elevated them? Jackson was an MVP before he got there. The Ravens culture has been a culture of excellence for 25 years.

I know. Monken did a horrible job with the immortal, the legendary, Stetson Bennett.

He has more successful play calling experience than Johnson. That is just an inconvenient fact for you to accept, for whatever reason.

Again, please address how the Bears made Monken a hot HC candidate?

 

[msadows]

IMO, the line can improve via coaching, plus a couple round 2 IOL selections. Remember how often the biggest issue was assignments and how to pick up stunts? Fix that, the players look a ton better off the bat. Get some quality new rookie blood in there and it'll be far more stable for the next few years.

If their answer is to start two rookie guards next to coleman shelton I fear that the line will look pretty similar.

 

[BNB]

Being in mix for these top candidates isn’t anything to brag about. It’s a bad hiring cycle with no clear cut top choice. I believe Naggy was the hottest candidate when he was hired but that was awhile ago not sure

Matt Nagy was the top candidate in that cycle iirc, or at least right near the top.

Nagy was one of the hot candidates and believe or not so was Wanny

Bruce Arians was also a top candidate and actually wanted to come here.

 

[msadows]

I know. Monken did a horrible job with the immortal, the legendary, Stetson Bennett.

He has more successful play calling experience than Johnson. That is just an inconvenient fact for you to accept, for whatever reason.

Again, please address how the Bears made Monken a hot HC candidate?

He's legit had 5 straight top 10 offenses in CFB + NFL over the last 5 years.

But the bears made him a candidate, not that part of it.

 

[Neckbeard]

If their answer is to start two rookie guards next to coleman shelton I fear that the line will look pretty similar.

Nah, they don't have to start 2 rookies. Let the vets/rookies battle it out to see who is better suited immediately. The better coaching would be the initial upgrade. Rookies would be the stability for 3+ years.

 

[Caveroamer]

Kliff's work as Cardinals HC knocks him out of the top tier for me.

Some people show that they are great at being a coordinator and that is where they shine and where they belong.
H.C. is a different job. Kliff is a great example of that.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

How do you plan to aggressively fix it?

There arent that many top notch FA OL out there, and the bears wont be the only team with money wanting them. The draft is always a toss up especially considering Poles track record.

I have faith he will throw resources at the OL but I have no faith yet it will be much better, at least not to the lions level of good.

I would trade down in the draft. Try to pick up an extra 2nd rounder by moving back into the middle of the 1st round.

This draft seems to have an abundance of LGs (and sometimes you can convert them to RG), but is really weak on tackles.

So I live with Braxton Jones for another year and sign a LT to compete with him for a starting job, but someone on a team friendly deal.

I then, if able to trade back, would use those 4 picks (one in the first, 3 in the second) to draft 2 guards, a center, and a defensive lineman, in no particular order.

That is where I would start.

Then come the 2026 draft, I target LT in round 1 and use the rest of the draft to shore up the offensive line and line depth.

 

[bearsfan1977]

He's legit had 5 straight top 10 offenses in CFB + NFL over the last 5 years.

But the bears made him a candidate, not that part of it.

It’s really strange how Daniel annoints Johnson to God status after 2 years, and then says Monken was just the beneficiary of a good roster. But doesn’t apply that same standard to Johnson. No logic whatsoever.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

It’s really strange how Daniel annoints Johnson to God status after 2 years, and then says Monken was just the beneficiary of a good roster. But doesn’t apply that same standard to Johnson.. No logic whatsoever.

It takes a marriage of a good coach with a good roster. Again, see what Nagy did in the playoff game before being hired by the Bears.

Having the roster alone isn't enough.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Bruce Arians was also a top candidate and actually wanted to come here.

I was never saying that there wasn't a singular top candidate who was ever interested.

My point was that all the potential finalists look like top candidates. That's what is rare air to me. That the supposed final list actually looks like a damn good list.

 

[Zvbxrpl]

Can anyone remember a time when the Bears were in the mix for arguably the top, hottest candidates in a coaching cycle?

2018. Nagy was the biggest name, and he was keeping Vic Fangio. That was the apex, Nagy sucking 4 years later aside.

Gruden wasn't talking to anybody but the Raiders, so then it was Nagy, Matt Patricia, Steve Wilks, and Frank Reich and the bears got the popular/hot name.

But if their finalists do end up being Johnson, Monken, and McCarthy, and they land one of those 3 - would this be the best finalist list you guys can remember in Bears history at least since Ditka and the Superbowl win?

I'll be content with Johnson or Monken, provided they can bring a really sharp, established DC on, ideally a guy like Dennis Allen. I can buy the offensive plans.

McCarthy I'm adverse to putting in the top 3 because I don't get the hype for a guy who's treaded water his whole career, minus some smart maneuvering the playoffs to win the SB--just because he's an offensive mind. Won 1 with Aaron, then goes to Dallas and while yes--Dak finally got MVP votes, I can't really say he elevated Dak. Got him playing at his ceiling? Yes. But Dak had big years under Jason Garrett, I think 2018 or 19 he threw for a few yards shy of 5K and 30 TDs, so I don't get the 'pro' argument that MM has unlocked Dak.

What has he learned at 61 years old that he wasn't doing in GB or Dallas that he's going to apply to get him back to the mountaintop or in contention? Making the 1st round of the playoffs and losing, just like old times. He was brought in to be better than Jason Garrett, yet Dak Prescott wins the same amount of playoff games with Garrett in 4 years than with McCarthy in 5 years--only 1.

Have to wonder--Has the game passed him by? You look at Sean Peyton, like MM success with a good QB in the 2000s and early 2010s--win 1, always make the playoffs but never get back on top. But unlike McCarthy, Peyton is developing/getting a lot of out Bo Nix in his 2nd stint. McCarthy told everybody that he learned from his GB mistakes, but he didn't, and now he'll be a 3x HC if he's hired. Peyton is developing a QB. I know he's adapting and changing with the times. McCarthy on the other hand, has looked great for the past 4 years bumslaying Chico Rivera's outdated 4-3 and Joe Judge's NY style 'what is defense?' He runs into Philly's hybrid, or 3-4/3-3-5/3-2-6/4-2-5 sets when speed gets matched with speed, his offense sputters, a lot like in GB when they would run into SF or Seattle.

 

[bearsfan1977]

It takes a marriage of a good coach with a good roster. Again, see what Nagy did in the playoff game before being hired by the Bears.

Having the roster alone isn't enough.

Totally agree.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Nagy, Matt Patricia, Steve Wilks, and Frank Reich

See though, that's what I mean. We did get the hot name, but he fell flat on his face the last playoff game. One could argue Vrabel was the most successful coach hired that offseason, and even his results were just above average.

Everyone else.... yuck.

 

[TheEarlofRobin]

Bruce Arians was also a top candidate and actually wanted to come here.

press conference, tho

 

[DanielCCSBears]

I know. Monken did a horrible job with the immortal, the legendary, Stetson Bennett.

He has more successful play calling experience than Johnson. That is just an inconvenient fact for you to accept, for whatever reason.

Again, please address how the Bears made Monken a hot HC candidate?

Georgia won with their defense not their offense. Dirk Koetter was in charge of calling plays two out of three years in Tampa and it was entirely Koetter's scheme that he ran. Monken is underwhelming at best.

The safest bet is probably McCarthy but even then you run the risk of him being John Fox part 2.

They had a coach fall into their lap last year and they should have fired Eberflus hired him. Instead they fired him a year late. Same thing they're about to do with Poles.... fire him a year too late.

 

[bearsfan1977]

I’m close to UGA’s program, I follow them closely. And I say this with respect-it is clear you have not followed them, and specifically have not analyzed their offense while Monken was there. The drop-off since he left has been very evident on the offensive side of the ball. BAL’s offense has gone to another level since he has been there. Lamar is insane, but that whole O has been elevated since Monken has been there. Those are just facts.

Monken has just as much of a chance of hitting at HC as Johnson does.

I agree with you on McCarthy being probably the safest pick. High ceiling. They know what they would be getting with him.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Georgia won with their defense not their offense. Dirk Koetter was in charge of calling plays two out of three years in Tampa and it was entirely Koetter's scheme that he ran. Monken is underwhelming at best.

The safest bet is probably McCarthy but even then you run the risk of him being John Fox part 2.

They had a coach fall into their lap last year and they should have fired Eberflus hired him. Instead they fired him a year late. Same thing they're about to do with Poles.... fire him a year too late.

So, reading between the lines here - you aren't really being serious at all about the most recent coaching search because you still are throwing a pissy-fit over them not hiring Harbaugh last year (who also happened to get bounced in round 1 of the playoffs this year)?

Got it.