This Chicago Bears offseason assistant coach tracker won’t be nearly as active as last year’s, when Ben Johsnon had to assemble a whole new coaching staff, but it will keep tabs on all the new hires, the departures, and, of course, the rumors and reports.
One assistant has already left, as running backs coach Eric Bieniemy is returning to the Kansas City Chiefs as their offensive coordinator.
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On January 20, Boston College head coach Bill O’Brien said his offensive coordinator, Will Lawing, was leaving the school to work for the Bears. Lawning was teammates with Ben Johnson at North Carolina, and he’s been coaching with O’Brien since 2013. First at Penn State, then to the Houston Texans (2014-2020), then to Alabama (2021-2022), then to the New England Patriots (2023), and then to Boston College for the last two years. He played wide receiver for the Tar Heels, but most of his coaching experience is with the tight ends, though he also spent time as a defensive quality control coach and an offensive assistant. The Bears have yet to announce this move.
On January 21, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Bears defensive backs/passing game coordinator Al Harris interviewed with the Green Bay Packers for their defensive coordinator position. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Harris is interviewing for the Washington Commanders’ open defensive coordinator position.
Also on January 21, the Atlanta Falcons requested to interview Bears’ assistant general manager Ian Cunningham for their general manager position. With Matt Ryan serving as Atlanta’s president, Cunningham’s role would not be that of the top football executive, and it was reported the Bears would not receive draft pick compensation via the Rooney Rule if Cunningham were to leave for that job.
UPDATE: On January 22, the Philadelphia Eagles requested to interview Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle for their vacant offensive coordinator position. (link)
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UPDATE: On January 23, it was reported that Al Harris is scheduled to interview with the Tennessee Titans on Saturday for the defensive coordinator position. (link)
On January 23, the Falcons completed their interview with Ian Cunningham for GM. Add the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs to those who report the Bears will not receive compensatory picks if Atlanta hires Cunningham.
MONDAY, JANUARY 26 UPDATES
Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle withdrew his name from consideration for the Eagles’ offensive coordinator position. (link)
Also, over the weekend, the Packers hired Jonathan Gannon as their defensive coordinator, taking Bears defensive backs/passing game coordinator Al Harris out of consideration for that job; however, rumors that the Pittsburgh Steelers are interested in Harris have surfaced.
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Per Brad Biggs, the Baltimore Ravens put in a request to interview Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, presumably for their vacant offensive coordinator position.
Biggs is also speculating that Eric Studesville is a name to watch for Chicago’s vacant running backs coach position. (link) And when Biggs speculates, it’s often sourced speculation.
Cross the Commanders off the list of potential suitors for Al Harris. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports Washington is set to hire Vikings defensive pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach Daronte Jones as their new defensive coordinator.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 27 UPDATES
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham will have a second interview for the Atlanta Falcons general manager job at some point this week. The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Houston Texans assistant GM James Liipfert is also a finalist for the Falcons’ GM position.
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UPDATE: Al Harris was not on the initial interview list for the Steelers’ defensive coordinator position; however, his ties to new Pittsburgh head coach Mike McCarthy have many connecting the dots that he could be in play.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28 UPDATES
Gerry Dulac, who covers the Steelers for several outlets, reports that Pittsburgh head coach Mike McCarthy is close to bringing in Patrick Graham as his defensive coordinator.
With the Miami Dolphins set to hire Ladell Betts as their new running backs coach, that frees up their former RB coach/Associate head coach Eric Studesville to take the Bears’ opening at RB coach.
We’ll update this tracker as more news or rumors about the Bears are reported.