Inside Linebackers Coach Mark DeLeone Leaves Bears for Lions
When Matt Nagy named longtime Bears assistant Sean Desai as his defensive coordinator last weekend it looked like a chance to retain some of the continuity from their 2020 coaching staff.
Instead, he needs to replace almost everyone on the defensive side of the ball in a coaching situation which invites plenty of speculation.
A report by Field Yates of ESPN said the Detroit Lions have hired Bears inside linebackers coach Mark DeLeone for the linebackers coaching position under new coach Dan Campbell.
DeLeone was responsible for working closely with Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan the past two seasons. DeLeone had replaced Glen Pires after the 2018 season, when defensive coordinator Vic Fangio left the Bears to become Denver head coach.
DeLeone had been in Kansas City when Nagy was with the Chiefs.
Bears outside linebackers coach Ted Monachino is now in Atlanta and defensive line coach Jay Rodgers is with the Los Angeles Chargers.
So Nagy and Desai will need to fill at least three defensive positions, and four if they choose to have a safeties coach again.
Speculation will likely build about the reason for many of the departures. How many of the defensive departures were made because Chuck Pagano retired, or if it was a case of those on the defensive side being unhappy about being made scapegoats after an 8-8 season.
Also there is the thought coaches are leaving the staff seeking some job security with a final year for Nagy and GM Ryan Pace in 2021 possible if the Bears have a losing season.
The Bears had been one of the league's dominant defenses in 2018 under Fangio, and while Pagano's defenses remained solid they were a cut below in each of the last two years. This year they dropped to 11th overall and 14th in scoring defense.
The offensive side lost running backs coach Charles London, who moved on to Atlanta to become the quarterbacks coach. Passing game coordinator Dave Ragone also went to Atlanta to become the offensive coordinator. Both of those positions were upgrades over their spots with the Bears.
None of the defensive coaches lost were leaving to move up the coaching ladder.
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