NFL Insider Floats Bears Trading for HC After Matt Eberflus Firing: 'Go Get Your Guy'

After the firing of head coach Matt Eberflus, the Chicago Bears could take a unique approach to finding his replacement this offseason.

While speaking to The Athletic's Kevin Fishbain, a league source suggested the possibility of the Bears trading for a head coach.

"It might not be the one they think is the 'best available,'" the league source said. "Go get your guy."

Trading for coaches in the NFL is extremely rare, but it has been done before. According to Eric Mullin of NBC Sports Boston, the occurrence has taken place just seven times in the last 25 years, most recently happening in 2023 when the Denver Broncos acquired head coach Sean Payton from the New Orleans Saints in exchange for first- and second-round draft picks.

As the deal for Payton showed, these types of trades only happen for coaches with established pedigrees. The other six to be involved in trades are all recognizable names: Bill Parcells in 1997 from the New England Patriots to the New York Jets, Mike Holmgren in 1999 from the Green Bay Packers to the Seattle Seahawks, Bill Belichick in 2000 from the Jets to the Patriots, Jon Gruden in 2002 from the Oakland Raiders to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Herm Edwards in 2006 from the Jets to the Kansas City Chiefs and Bruce Arians in 2019 from the Arizona Cardinals to the Buccaneers.

There aren't many coaches of that caliber around the NFL today, so it's hard to imagine who the Bears would want to acquire while giving up draft capital. However, Chicago is confident in its status as a prime landing spot for prospective coaching candidates this offseason.

Team president Kevin Warren declared earlier this week that the Bears head coach opening "will be the most coveted job in the National Football League this year." With 2024 No. 1 pick Caleb Williams as the franchise cornerstone and other talented players on the roster, the Bears could be an attractive destination as they try to find the right person to lead the team into its next era.