With several teams hiring, or already hiring, new head coaches, there has been a lot of news and rumors circulating about assistant coaches getting new jobs.
The NFL implemented a new rule this year, making it so that teams looking to hire coordinators no longer need to ask for permission to speak to assistant coaches who have contracts with other teams. In the past, the league only recognized two categories of coach – chief and assistant – which prevented assistants from leaving for a role other than the head coach. This new rule allows assistant coaches to improve themselves by moving to higher profile coordinator jobs.
This will allow for more movement than we saw earlier, as new head coaches can steal from the teams they just left, or look for fast-rising assistant coaches on other teams.
The Chicago Bears are guaranteed some turnover for the 2021 season, as defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano has decided to retire, but there should be some more changes to Matt Nagy’s coaching staff.
The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting that defensive line coach Jay Rodgers and safeties coach Sean Desai are the top Bears candidates for the position of defensive coordinator if hired from within.
Rodgers, whose contract is due to expire soon, is also considering other teams to make the jump to defensive coordinator. If the former coach of Bears’ external linebacker, Brandon Staley, who is currently the defensive coordinator for Rams, ends up getting a position as head coach in this cycle, then Rodgers would be a likely candidate to join him on his new team.
With the Bears apparently in a winning way now after consecutive disappointing seasons, my guess is that they are looking for an experienced defense player, but I would be completely fine if they handed Rodgers the job.
I’ve seen several comments from #Bears fans who want to fire D-line coach Jay Rodgers as a candidate for DC because he ‘may not understand the coverages.’
This man was a college QB, and his training as a coach includes QB coach, WR coach and passing game coordinator.
– Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. (@wiltfongjr) January 15, 2021
Rodgers is not the only current assistant rumored to have any outside interest, as game coordinator Dave Ragone may be out of Atlanta to join Arthur Smith’s new coaching staff, according to ESPN Jeremy Fowler. Ragone and Smith trained together in Tennessee from 2011 to 2013 and, although Smith is expected to be responsible for the Falcons game, Ragone would receive the title of offensive coordinator.
Someone who claims to be Ragone’s nephew tweeted our other rumors, but considering that the tweet was deleted, I prefer not to give any credit.
Bears wide receiver coach Mike Furrey was mentioned as a candidate for head coach at Marshall University.
If ex-Eagles coach Doug Pederson doesn’t get a job as a head coach, then look for his connections with Nagy to generate much speculation about him joining the Bears team.
There is also a chance that Champ Kelly, who is the current Assistant Personnel Director for Players in Chicago, is still at stake to become the Assistant General Manager of the Denver Broncos.
The assistant coaches’ rule for the coordinator I mentioned above also applies to scouts and front office personnel who are allowed to leave for assistant GM roles.