Bear Digest

Would Bears Even Meet Ben Johnson's Reported Qualifications?

According to a report by SI.com's Albert Breer, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has a few qualities he needs to see in a team before he'd even consent to an interview.
Gene Chamberlain|
Ben Johnson is sure to be at the top of any list by a team needing a new coach this offseason but would the Bears meet his critieria?
Ben Johnson is sure to be at the top of any list by a team needing a new coach this offseason but would the Bears meet his critieria? | David Reginek-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Is it possible the Bear could get eliminated in the Ben Johnson coaching sweepstakes before they really even have a chance to get involved?

SI.com's Albert Breer, prior to the Thursday Night Football telecast, reported Johnson will limit his search  to only teams where he actually is going to have an intention of pursuing a job.

In other words, "He will not chase interviews," Breer said.

This much has been widely reported already, but Breer added a couple new stipulations and it's easy to wonder if the Bears would even meet Johnson's standards.

Breer said Johnson wants an "organizational alignment, in particular between the GM and the head coach."

In other words, they'd have to get Ryan Poles' contract situation aligned with the new coach's. Poles would need an extension.

After Poles' continued support of Matt Eberflus this year, it might seem unlikely this could even occur. Poles didn't exactly come across at Monday's presser like a guy fully supported by team president Kevin Warren.

The other stipulation was a bit vague but also seems questionable for the Bears.

"And then, he'll be looking for a recommendation from the organization of things that have gone wrong and willingness to fix them," Breer said.

It depends what specific type of things they're talking about here, as they pertain to the Bears.

For instance, they could just blame what happened last week in Detroit on Matt Eberflus and be done with it.

However, there were many other situations that have gone on in the last few years from the resignation of former defensive coordinator Alan Williams and firing of running backs coach David Walker to Shane Waldron's dismissal, to the reported locker room confrontation between Jaylon Johnson and Matt Eberflus to any number of other situations like this.

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Maybe he'd even want to explore the aborted Bears signing of free agent defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi by Poles.

Regardless, none of the interviews with coaching candidates who are with teams will occur any time soon.

They still have five games to weigh the performance of interim coach Thomas Brown, as well.

And between now and the end of the season it's anyone's guess how many more things could occur that would be matters for inquiry by a red-hot, choosy candidate looking for a team to coach.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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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.