The Chicago Bears’ search for a new head coach and general manager is underway in earnest, and reports are flooding in about which candidates are currently being evaluated for the positions.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport got the ball rolling on Monday as he reported that the Bears have four people on their list as potential G.M. hires. The four targets Rapoport mentioned were Chris Ballard, the Kansas City Chiefs’ director of player personnel, Mark Ross, VP of Player Evaluation for the New York Giants, Lake Dawson, Tennessee Titans VP of Player Personnel, and Vince Newsome, Baltimore Ravens Director of Pro Personnel.
A couple of other candidates have emerged for the position as well, with Ravens Assistant G.M. Eric DeCosta also potentially being on their short list, according to Sports on Earth’s Dan Pompei.
As for the head coaching position, the Bears have already reportedly reached out to three different teams to request permission to talk to their coordinators. Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is on that list, as are Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase (according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter) and Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn (according to NFL Network’s Albert Breer).
Pompei also had a scoop on another potential candidate that’s emerged, as current Ravens offensive coordinator (and former Houston Texans head coach) Gary Kubiak could be on the Bears’ radar.
If there’s one thing that these coaches all have in common, it’s this: they’re all in demand. Gase is scheduled to interview with two other teams, with the Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49’ers also interested, and Quinn will talk to the Falcons and the New York Jets.
The Bears would ideally like to get a general manager in place before a head coach is hired, but with the coordinators being scouted so heavily by other teams, and also having to prepare for potentially lengthy playoff runs, the Bears have to get in line now in order to talk to all the potential candidates.
