Bears Rumors: Matt Eberflus Still Not Safe as Chicago 'Gauging the Market' for HCs

The Chicago Bears reportedly still haven't made a final decision regarding whether they intend to keep head coach Matt Eberflus.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Bears are "gauging" the coaching market in the event that they choose to part ways with Eberflus, who is 10-24 in two seasons as Chicago's head coach.

Fowler noted that keeping Eberflus is the most likely scenario after he finished 2023 on a high note with a 7-6 record following an 0-4 start, but making a change is within the realm of possibility, especially if the Bears identify their top target on the coaching market and are able to secure them.

Chicago fired Matt Nagy after a 6-11 season in 2021 and replaced him with Eberflus, who proceeded to guide the Bears to a league-worst 3-14 record during his first year at the helm.

It turns out that finishing last may have set the Bears up for many years of success, as they were able to parlay the No. 1 overall draft pick into several additional picks and wide receiver D.J. Moore in a trade with the Carolina Panthers.

One of the picks acquired was the Panthers' 2024 first-round pick, which happens to be No. 1 overall, meaning the Bears have the choice of using or trading that selection for a second year in a row.

That choice hinges on whether the Bears decide to give Justin Fields one more year as the starting quarterback or move on, and it is likely Chicago will settle on its head coach before making that decision.

Fields still has a lot of growing left to do as a passer, but he is as electric of an athlete as there is at the quarterback position.

The Bears must weigh that against the potential of the top quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL draft, such as USC's Caleb Williams, North Carolina's Drake Maye and LSU's Jayden Daniels.

Taking quarterback out of the equation, the Bears have an up-and-coming roster as a whole, led by the likes of Moore, tight end Cole Kmet, offensive tackle Darnell Wright and rising defensive stars in pass-rusher Montez Sweat, defensive tackle Gervon Dexter and cornerback Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson.

The talent is in place and there is more on the way, but there remains uncertainty regarding whether Bears' president Kevin Warren views Eberflus as the best person to steer the ship.

Chicago did show marked improvement in its second season under Eberflus, going 7-10 and remaining in the playoff race until the end of Week 17.

From Weeks 12 through 17, the Bears won four out of five games and showed what they could be in the future as they continue to mature and improve.

That late-season run may have gone a long way toward helping Eberflus save his job, but if a big name option like University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh or longtime New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick becomes available and favors going to Chicago, it may be tough for the Bears to turn down that type of hire.