For all of the attention the Chicago Bears? search for their next offensive coordinator has gotten in recent weeks following the firing of Luke Getsy, they also need a defensive coordinator.
Head Coach Matt Eberflus took over play-calling duties after Allen Williams resigned ahead of their Week 3 showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The defense trended up with Eberflus in his element plus Phil Snow?s addition.
Eberflus has also credited the addition of Senior Defensive Assistant Phil Snow. He is also open to calling plays again in 2024. That is something to keep in mind as the Bears kicked off their search with a familiar face.
Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator Live Tracker 2024
Defensive Coordinator Candidates Set to Interview With Bears
Chris Harris – Defensive Passing Game Coordinator/CBs Coach – Carolina Panthers
?#Titans defensive pass game coordinator/CBs coach Chris Harris will interview for the #Bears defensive coordinator job, per source,? NFL Network?s Pelisero reported on X, formerly Twitter, on January 21. ?A onetime Bears draft pick who became a highly respected player in Chicago, Harris also interviewed for the #Jaguars DC job this past week.?
The Bears selected Harris in the sixth round of the 2005 draft. He became a key piece of their Super Bowl run in 2006 under former head coach Lovie Smith. He spent four seasons with the Bears in two stints separated by three seasons in Carolina.
Harris was the defensive backs coach with the Washington Commanders for three seasons. He was the assistant secondary coach with the Los Angeles Chargers before that.
Harris began his coaching career as a defensive quality control coach with the Bears in 2013.
His addition would add a rising coaching candidate who might be comfortable at least sharing input from Eberflus calling plays. At the same time, his familiarity with the defense could also lead to a smoother transition of playcalling duties from the head coach.
Terrell Williams – Asst. Head Coach – Defense/Defensive Line Coach – Tennessee Titans
?#Titans assistant head coach/defensive line coach Terrell Williams will interview with the #Bears for their defensive coordinator job, source says,? NFL Network?s Mike Garafolo reported in a post on X on January 22. ?Williams will be the head coach of the American team in the @seniorbowl next week, so his work is getting noticed across the league.?
Williams’ coaching career began at the community college level in 1998. He entered the NFL ranks in 2012 with the then-Oakland Raiders.
After four seasons there and three seasons with the Miami Dolphins, Williams joined the Titans in 2018. He had them No. 1 in run defense in 2022. This past season, the unit ranked 13 in rush yards allowed. But they were fourth in rushing touchdowns.
Coaching under a defensive mind in Mike Vrabel, Williams? role outside of the line is unclear.
But he is respected within the Titans organization. He also helped turn Jonathan Simmons into one of the more disruptive presences in the defensive trenches.
Eric Washington – Asst. HC/DL Coach – Buffalo Bills
?The Bears requested permission to interview Bills assistant head coach/defensive line Eric Washington for their defensive coordinator position, source says,? CBS Sports? Jonathan Jones reported on X on January 25. ?He previously coached in Chicago. Buffalo’s defense produced 54 sacks this year and is consistently one of the NFL’s best.?
Washington spent three seasons with the Bears from 2008 through the 2010 season, as Assistant Defensive Line Coach (2008-09) and Defensive Line Coach.
He also spent four seasons with Northwestern as their defensive coordinator.
Washington has coached the defensive line in some capacity since entering the league in ?08, save for a two-year stint as the Panthers defensive coordinator. His defense was 15th in yards and 19th in points in his first season.
But the unit bottomed out with the run game in his second season. He has worked under a defensive-minded head coach in Sean McDermott too, potentially an asset in this situation.
Joe Barry – DC – Green Bay Packers
?Former Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry will interview for jobs on the defensive staffs for both the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears, per sources,? ESPN?s Dianna Russini reported on X on January 26. ?Philly up first??
Barry spent the last three seasons calling the Packers? defense.
His first season was the best, with the Packers ranking ninth in yards and 13th in scoring. The Packers? scoring defense was even better this past season, ranking 10th. But Barry?s defense has also ranked slightly below average in passing yards allowed and 26th or worse against the run in each of the last two seasons.
He would also be following in the wake of former Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy ? who is interviewing for the same role with the Las Vegas Raiders.