Chicago Bears' Offseason To-Do List
It seems Chicago Bears ownership has had enough of the poor-to-mediocre seasons. Virginia and George McCaskey made strong statements Monday by firing general manager Phil Emery and head coach Marc Trestman.
The Bears are now in a position to completely overhaul their football leadership positions. They have a tall order of getting this team back to respectability, but it certainly can be done.
How are the Bears going to do it? Well, it starts with this offseason and making the right moves that will mold this franchise for years to come. Finding the right leader at the top and making a decision on Jay Cutler are just a few of the tasks to conquer.
Click ahead to find out what important things the Bears have to do this offseason, and don't forget to share your thoughts and vision below in the comments area.
Create Organizational Stability
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If the Bears truly want to get back on track, then they must establish continuity from the top down.
Bears President and CEO Ted Phillips is an experienced businessman and an outstanding accountant, but he knows nothing when it comes to building a franchise on the field.
Phillips needs to be shifted to the business side of the operation, like Crane Kenney with the Chicago Cubs, and allow a more experienced person to come in and put some structure in place from a roster standpoint.
"#Bears indeed considering the #Cubs model, with Ted Phillips helming the business side, and an equivalent football president next to him.
— Dan Bernstein (@dan_bernstein) December 29, 2014 "
Can the Bears maybe talk a guy like former Colts President Bill Polian to leave television and run the team? How about Bill Parcells or Mike Holmgren?
Guys like Polian, Parcells and Holmgren likely don't want to do the day-to-day operations anymore, but they can hire a general manager to handle that. What the team needs is a strong voice from the top savvy enough to put quality people in place all the way down to the head coach.
It's time for the Bears to have an experienced leader in the NFL call the shots. They will continue to have the problems they have grown used to if they don't evolve like some of the better teams in the league.
Hire a Head Coach with a Future
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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has been in his position since 2007. Marvin Lewis has been in Cincinnati since 2003, and Bill Belichick has been at New England since 2000.
Keeping with the theme of structure and stability, the Bears need to find a coach who's going to stick around for a while. They can ill-afford to hire another guy who's going to be fired in two years.
Whether it's Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell or another hot name at the moment, the Bears must make sure the guy is smart and stable enough to lead the team for years to come.
Former Broncos and Washington head coach Mike Shanahan has been a popular name recently. If the Bears want to hire him, they would be best served bringing his son, Kyle Shanahan, on board as assistant head coach.
Kyle Shanahan can leave Cleveland with a promotion, come to Chicago, call the offensive plays and take over for his father in a few years as head coach. Continuity is paramount right now for this team.
Say Goodbye to the Old Days
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Former Bears head coach Lovie Smith is long gone. He's down in Tampa now, but this Bears team still has his imprint on it.
It's time to completely wipe the Lovie Smith fingerprints off this team. Former defensive coordinator Mel Tucker tried to run the same defense as Smith last year, and that didn't work. Older players from those Smith teams are still here, and they aren't giving any contributions.
Linebacker Lance Briggs and cornerback Charles Tillman will go down in history as some of the best players the franchise has seen. Let's tip our hats for their service but also let them go.
There needs to be a complete fundamental philosophy shift. The 4-3 defense might be on the chopping block, and the focus needs to be on the young talent and what works best for today's game.
It's time for guys like Kyle Fuller, Jon Bostic, Ego Ferguson, Christian Jones and Willie Young to shine. Get these Lovie Smith-style players out of here and focus on a defense that allows these young players the best chance to succeed.
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Decide Early What You Are Going to Do with Jay Cutler
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Does the team look to trade Jay Cutler, cut him and eat the money or keep him going forward? There are legitimate arguments for each move, but whatever the decision is, it must be made quickly.
Deciding Cutler's fate with the Bears is priority No. 1 for a new president or general manager. The head coach hire, NFL draft and free-agent signings all hinge on this decision.
If the Bears keep Cutler, then they need a head coach who can get the best out of him. Cutler isn't an elite quarterback, but there's still something there, and a guy like Mike Shanahan might be able to get it out of him.
If the team is tired of Cutler and the issues that come with him, then it should get rid of him. The last thing the team wants to do is hire another first-time head coach who has to create a culture and deal with a 31-year-old quarterback who has a turnover problem and seems to have regressed.
March 12, 2015, is a big day for the Bears. If Cutler is still on the roster by that date, $10 million of his 2016 salary is guaranteed.
Spend Wisely and Draft Smart
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Phil Emery lost his job in large part due to the roster decisions he made. Jay Cutler's contract, Lamarr Houston's signing and drafting Shea McClellin are just a few of the glaring mistakes Emery made.
Big money was spent on the offense, but it failed to produce results. Guys like D.J. Williams, Jared Allen and Ryan Mundy were brought in to solidify the defense, but they hardly did that.
Emery had some good finds in the draft and free agency. Kyle Long is a Pro Bowl player, Alshon Jeffery is a stud receiver and Willie Young was a great investment at defensive end.
What Emery was punished for was seeing first-round pick Shea McClellin struggle, watching the quarterback get hit hard despite Jermon Bushrod's huge contract and seeing the linebacker and safety positions be bad for two straight years.
The best teams, such as the Green Bay Packers, Patriots and Seahawks, don't blindly throw money at free agents to try and fill holes. They draft quality players and develop them within the organization. When the time comes, they reward their best players with new deals while continuing to develop new talent.
There is just too much money tied up into aging veterans on this roster. That practice needs to stop. The Bears need to develop a pipeline and reward the quality talent they cultivate.
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