The Chicago Bears introduced the hiring of offensive coordinator Shane Waldron on Tuesday, however they’ve work to do to fill out their teaching employees.
On Saturday, they named a defensive coordinator in Eric Washington. The former Buffalo Bills assistant head coach and defensive position coach beforehand coached with the Bears from 2008-10 underneath Lovie Smith and served because the defensive position coach in 2010 with defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, a Matt Eberflus mentor.
“He is a great communicator with elite leadership skills and he will enhance our current defensive staff,” Eberflus mentioned of Washington in an announcement Saturday. “His track record speaks for itself with coordinator experience as well as expertise in the area of defensive line.”
Eberflus mentioned this month that he was nonetheless figuring out whether or not he would proceed to name performs, as he did for a lot of the 2023 season after Alan Williams left. But he additionally mentioned the Bears have been “going to keep everything open right now” as they thought of candidates.
Here’s how the defensive coordinator hiring course of unfolded.
Jan. 26
The Bears are interviewing former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry, in line with a number of studies.
The rundown: Two days after the Packers fired Barry, he was set to speak with the Bears about their open coordinator place and in addition was going to interview with the Philadelphia Eagles, The Athletic reported. Barry was the Packers defensive coordinator for 3 seasons. In 2023, the Packers ranked seventeenth with 335.1 yards allowed per sport and tenth with 20.6 factors allowed per sport.
Barry additionally was a defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions (2007-08) and Washington (2015-16).
He has greater than twenty years value of teaching expertise and in addition coached linebackers with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the San Diego Chargers and the Los Angeles Rams. He was the Rams assistant head coach and linebackers coach from 2017-2020.
After firing Barry, Packers coach Matt LaFleur mentioned in an announcement, “These decisions are extremely difficult and Joe is one of the best men I’ve had the opportunity to work with in this league.”
Jan. 25
The Bears requested an interview with Buffalo Bills assistant head coach/defensive position coach Eric Washington, CBS Sports reported.
The rundown: Washington has coached the Bills defensive position since 2020, getting promoted to senior defensive assistant in 2022 and assistant head coach in 2023. Before that, he spent 9 years with the Carolina Panthers, first as defensive position coach after which as defensive coordinator in 2018-19. He coached three seasons with the Bears, because the defensive position coach in 2010 and a defensive assistant earlier than that. Washington, who performed tight finish at Grambling State, additionally coached defensive position in school at Northwestern and Ohio.
Jan. 22
Tennessee Titans assistant head coach/defensive position coach Terrell Williams will interview with the Bears, ESPN reported.
The rundown: Williams has coached for 26 years, together with 12 within the NFL. He coached with the Titans for six seasons, including the assistant head coach title in 2023. Before that, he coached the Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders defensive traces for 3 seasons every. He additionally coached defensive position at six faculties, together with Purdue and Texas A&M. Williams was named the top coach of the American crew for this 12 months’s Senior Bowl.
Jan. 21
Titans defensive go sport coordinator Chris Harris will interview with the Bears, NFL Network reported.
The rundown: Harris, a former NFL security whom the Bears drafted within the sixth spherical in 2005, has 10 years of teaching expertise. With the Titans in 2023, he served because the defensive go sport coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Before that, he coached defensive backs for the Washington Commanders for 3 seasons, serving to them to top-10 defenses in 2020 and 2022. He was the Los Angeles Chargers assistant defensive backs coach for 4 seasons after beginning his teaching profession as a Bears defensive high quality management coach in 2013-14.
As a participant, Harris made 88 begins over eight NFL seasons, together with two stints with the Bears in 2005-06 and 2010-11. He performed underneath coach Lovie Smith and began for the 2006 Bears crew that went to the Super Bowl.
He interviewed for Jacksonville’s defensive coordinator place, however the Jaguars employed former Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com