Bears Scrambling to Fill Out Staff

The final Friday before the start of all-star bowl practices is a point when teams like to have coaching staffs solidified so the staff can be dispatched with personnel people to scout. Like many teams, the Bears were still scrambling to get their staff filled Friday but one key staff member who has been hired is quarterbacks coach Kerry Joseph.

The team confirmed the hiring late Friday afternoon.

Joseph was Seahawks assistant quarterbacks coach in 2022 and 2023. He has been scheduled to be the American Team quarterbacks coach for the Senior Bowl. He'll get the opportunity to work with either Caleb Williams or Justin Fields as the Bears ponder whether to use the first pick of the draft on a QB.

Joseph was assistant wide receivers coach for the Seahawks in 2021 under new Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, and an offensive assistant in 2020. He had been with the Seahawks before as a player from 1999-2002, and also had a career as a CFL quarterback. In 2007 he threw for 4,002 yards with 24 TD passes and eight interceptions to win the CFL Most Outstanding Player Award as Saskatchewan won its first Grey Cup title in 18 years.

He was a co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach at McNeese State in 2016-17 and also then QB coach and interim head coach at the school in 2018. Then he was running backs coach and passing game coordinator with Southeastern Louisiana in 2019.

Joseph replaces Andrew Janocko, who was fired with other members of Luke Getsy's staff.

The delay in getting all the vacant head coaching positions filled isn't making it easy as assistants are gradually gobbled up with other staffs.

The Bears still had several other positions to fill as of Friday.

One reported candidate for a job with the Bears has withdrawn his name and that's wide receivers coaching candidate Sanjay Lal. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Lal "will be looking into other opportunitites."

Lal and Fowler had worked on the same staff in Seattle. Lal had been on the Dallas staff one season when Matt Eberflus was with the Cowboys before becoming Colts defensive coordinator.

Former Packers defensive ccoordinator Joe Barry is a candidate for the Bears coaching staff, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Her report did not specify the role with the Bears, but they have not filled their defensive coordinator job.

Barry's defense with the Packers was a 3-4 base and not a 4-3 like the Bears use, but his background is in the 4-3 and Tampa-2 after he had been a linebackers coach with Tampa Bay. He is the son-in-law of Rod Marinelli, former Bears assistant and Lions head coach who is good friends with Bears coach Matt Eberflus and was Marinelli's defensive coordinator two seasons in Detroit.

Barry's Packers defenses held the Bears to an average of 17 points in beating them all six times. His Washington defense had beaten them twice, as well. His teams have a 10-2 record against the Bears overall as an NFL defensive coordinator.

They finally figured out how to bring all Bears fans together. Don’t do it!!!
— Ryan Dutt (@RDutt24) January 26, 2024

The Bears have reportedly interviewed Chris Harris, Terrell Williams and Eric Washington for defensive coordinator.

They had former Panthers defensive coordinator Phil Snow on their staff part of last year as an analyst who handled defensive scouting and film analysis. It's possible he'd have been considered as an internal candidate. There is plenty of speculation they have considered their linebackers coach, Dave Borgonzi. He is scheduled to be defensive coordinator at the East-West Shrine Bowl.

Besides receivers coach, the Bears must also hire a running backs coach. Offensive line coach Chris Morgan and tight ends coach Jim Dray were retained. They also fired tight ends assistant Tim Zetts so that position is vacant, as well.

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