Report: Bears Aim to Add Raiders Coach
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The really important business facing Matt Eberflus as new Bears coach revolves around the side of the football he leaves for others.
Eberflus will have his own people to handle offense and the development of Justin Fields, but the first report of any real interest shown by the Bears in assistants with other teams has been on the defensive side and special teams.
According to a report by the Tribune's Brad Biggs, the Bears are interested in hiring Raiders interim head coach Rich Bisaccia as special teams coordinator after they lost Chris Tabor to Carolina.
Bisaccia worked as a former Cowboys special teams coordinator when Eberflus was the linebackers coach under head coach Jason Garrett.
Bisaccia's special teams ranked 11th overall in the Rick Gosselin formula used by teams for determining best overall special teams. They were two behind the Bears. Eberflus knows plenty about good special teams because while he was defensive coordinator the last two years the Colts finished fourth overall in 2020 in special teams and second in 2021.
Despite the fact Bisaccia got the Raiders into the playoffs for the first time since 2016, multiple reports say Las Vegas is making an attempt to land Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as head coach.
The other coaching addition could be Dave Borgonzi, the Colts linebackers coach who has been working closely with Darius Leonard. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported this shortly after the hiring report broke.
This would be a move that could benefit Roquan Smith as he tries to adjust to a 4-3 defense and playing either weak side or middle linebacker.
Borgonzi was in Indianapolis working under Eberflus all four years and also worked with him in Dallas.
The offensive coordinator hire is obviously the most important decision facing Eberflus. Speculation has built around Eagles passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo of the Philadelphia Eagles.
The speculation centers around a tweet by Rapoport calling Patullo a "name to watch," but giving no other context to it.
Patullo was with the Colts as a receivers coach in Eberflus' first three seasons. Last year he directed the passing game Jalen Hurts ran, but he has not been a play caller or offensive coordinator at any level.
Such a hiring as offensive coordinator would run contrary to a tweet from Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer saying it's believed the Eberflus is targeting an offensive coordinator with experience in the Shanahan style of offense.
It could be a solid move for the Bears from a quarterback standpoint because Patullo had been quarterbacks coach for the New York Jets for two years under Todd Bowles. On a side note, in college at Texas A&M Patullo coached wide receiver Christian Kirk, the Cardinals slot receiver who is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in March. The Bears have only one of their top five receivers under contract for 2022, Darnell Mooney.
One other upcoming Bears hire could potentially be Eagles director of player personnel Ian Cunningham as an assistant for GM Ryan Poles according to a report by Adam Caplan of Sirius XM.
Breer has labeled Cunningham as one of the league's future GMs.
Rick Gosselin's Final 2021 Special Teams Rankings
1. Baltimore, 241.5
2. Indianapolis, 272
3. Seattle, 276
4. Kansas City, 298.5
5. New Orleans, 299.5
6. Dallas, 301
7. Detroit, 310.5
8. Buffalo, 316.5
9. BEARS, 330
10. NY Giants, 332
11. Las Vegas, 333.5
12. Cincinnati, 341
13. NY Jets, 343
14. Houston, 346
15. Minnesota, 347
16. LA Rams, 350
17. Pittsburgh, 364.5
18. New England, 376.5
19. Tennessee, 377
20. Washington, 384.5
21. Philadelphia, 385.5
22. Miami, 393
23. Atlanta, 408.5
24. Jacksonville, 409.5
25. SF 49ers, 414
26. Arizona, 419.5
27. Denver, 421
28. Carolina, 428.5
29. Tampa Bay, 429
30. Cleveland, 443
31. LA Chargers, 444
32. Green Bay, 482.5
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