Bear Digest

Coaching staff continuity exists for Bears at lower level

Several lower level assistants have been reported on board for Ben Johnson's coaching staff, while the search for a safeties coach continues.
Gene Chamberlain|
The Bears coaching staff under Ben Johnson appears to be virtually complete, short the safeties position.
The Bears coaching staff under Ben Johnson appears to be virtually complete, short the safeties position. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

There will be a little more continuity between coaching staffs besides tight ends coach Jim Dray and special teams coordinator Richard Hightower.

As the Bears begin the Ben Johnson era, they had listed several assistants on their website as holdovers but there has been no confirmation from the team as the staff continued to build.

However, offensive quality control coach Zach Cable and defensive quality control assistants Kenny Norton III and Kevin Koch, as well as offensive assistant/quarterbacks and receivers Robbie Picazo are returning, according to a report by Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic.

Whether they are returning in the same roles hasn't been revealed as yet. It's not uncommon for lower-level assistants to remain on new staffs in different roles.

Picazo was brought on staff under Shane Waldron last year. Both Cable and North will be in their third seasons with the Bears while Koch came on board at the start of the Matt Eberflus era and will be going into his fourth season.

There is still no word on the team's safeties coach or a new head of strength and conditioning.

They reportedly hired former Cowboys safeties coach Cannon Matthews last week but his role in Chicago will be to coach nickel cornerbacks.

 Bears reported staff

Head coach: Ben Johnson

Defensive coordinator: Dennis Allen

Offensive coordinator: Declan Doyle

Special teams coordinator: Richard Hightower

Offensive line: Dan Roushar

Quarterbacks: J.T. Barrett

Wide receivers: Antwaan Randle El

Running backs: Eric Bieniemy

Tight ends: Jim Dray

Secondary/defensive pass game coordinator: Al Harris

Defensive line: Bill Johnson

Linebackers: Richard Smith

Defensive backs/nickels: Cannon Matthews

Assistant QBs/receivers: Robbie Picazo

Offensive quality control: Zach Cable

Defensive quality control: Kevin Koch

Defensive quality control: Kenny Norton III

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.