Search Expands for GM
It never hurts to have an inside connection.
The latest addition to the Bears general manager hunt has exactly that.
Los Angeles Chargers director of player personnel JoJo Wooden is one of the more well-rounded candidates now for GM because of his experience on both the pro and college side of scouting. And his inside connection is he works for someone who worked for one of the Bears decision makers.
Wooden is under Chargers GM Tom Telesco, and Telesco worked under Bill Polian with the Colts from 1998 until early 2012. That's when owner Jim Irsay fired Polian, who now is the key advisor in helping Bears board chairman George McCaskey find a new general manager and coach.
Wooden had a heavy emphasis on pro scouting earlier in his career, starting with the time he was with the Jets from 1997-2012. He moved from just the pro scouting side to assistant director of player personnel with New York in 2006 and stayed in that role until 2012. With the Chargers, Wooden oversees both pro and college scouting and has been there since 2013.
While Telesco has to receive much of the credit for Chargers draft picks, Wooden has at least been involved with the scouting that brought in Justin Herbert, Joey Bosa and Derwin James.
On Friday, the Bears completed their coaching interview with former Dolphins coach Brian Flores and also with GM candidate Jeff Ireland, whose grandfather was Bears 1970s era scout Jim Parmer. Ireland had been a Bears ball boy at camp at the age of 12. He has been in scouting or the front office with Dallas, Seattle and New Orleans and also was hired by Bill Parcells as general manager in Miami when Parcells was executive vice-president of football for the team.
Flores also had an interview for the vacant Houston Texans head coaching job.
On Saturday the Bears will interview Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett for the head coaching job and on Sunday both of Buffalo's coordinators, offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier. On Monday they'll interview Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus for head coach.
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