5 Changes the Chicago Bears Must Absolutely Make This Offseason

Thursday night's performance and 41-28 loss against the Cowboys has to open some eyes and force some changes. 

The powers at be in Halas Hall need to shake things up considerably and try to get this ship back on course for the sake of the passionate fanbase. 

At the center of the changes is a head coach who has failed to deliver on what was supposed to be his expertise. The offense is inept and the defense is not far behind. 

A veteran coach and youth movement on defense are just a few of the changes the Bears absolutely have to make. Click ahead for the details and share your thoughts in the comments below. 

Fire the Coaching Staff

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Head coach Marc Trestman is supposed to be a brilliant offensive mind but his offense looks anything but brilliant. 

He has the talent to be at least a top-10 offense, but Trestman and the group have failed miserably. 

A lack of balance, poor effort, lackadaisical attitudes and embarrassing defense all signal the end for a staff after only two years. 

Mel Tucker's defense has been the complete opposite of what Chicago has grown accustomed to. They are soft and putrid. 

The special teams has been a disaster and the quarterback seems to have regressed. It's time for general manger to pull the plug on this experiment. 

Defense Should Switch to a 3-4

Matt Ludtke/Associated Press

Part of the reason why Tucker and the defense has failed is the team's scheme. Their 4-3 style doesn't fit the players on the roster and has become too easy for opposing offenses to game-plan against. 

In an effort to get faster and get more out of their younger players, the Bears need to switch to a 3-4 scheme. 

Shea McClellin has had a rough start to his career to say the least but would likely thrive as a pass-rusher coming off the edge. McClellin's speed and power would be on full display as an outside linebacker attacking the quarterback. 

Jon Bostic would best be served as an inside linebacker next to another veteran. Bostic roams from sideline to sideline better than any other defensive player on the team but struggles to maintain discipline. He would work great alongside a veteran guy who knows the scheme and can call the signals. 

Willie Young and Jared Allen can stand up and rush the passer if needed. Both are smart versatile pass-rushers who can rotate with each other. If Julius Peppers can do it in Green Bay then certainly both guys are fully capable of filling the role together. 

Lamarr Houston, Ego Ferguson, Will Sutton and Cornelius Washington can fill the space on the inside. Ideally, the Bears could use a bigger stop gap at nose tackle but that can be addressed in the draft of free agency. Houston is a better defensive end in a 3-4 as proven during his time in Oakland.

Kyle Fuller serves better as a press corner with an active pass rush in front of him. He also does an outstanding job in run support, which will help the blitzing linebackers. 

The Bears don't have any reliable starting safeties on the roster and need to upgrade the two spots no matter what scheme they run. Might as well change the scheme and find some playmakers on the back end. 

Purge Some Veterans

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

It's tough to say goodbye to some fan favorites you have grown to love over the years, but it's just a part of the game. 

Cornerback Tim Jennings, linebacker Lance Briggs, cornerback Charles Tillman, safety Chris Conte, center Roberto Garza and even kicker Robbie Gould should probably move on. 

All players are left over from the Lovie Smith regime and have all seemed to regress since Smith left the Bears. 

Even though Jeremiah Ratliff and D.J. Williams aren't from the Smith era, their inability to stay healthy could make them casualties as well. 

This team needs to inject some new life and attitude into the roster and locker room. Keeping older players who don't offer much value anymore is certainly not the way to do so. The Bears should thank them all for their service but move on from every one of them. 

Find a Proven Coach Who Can Work with Jay Cutler

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Like it or not, the team has given Jay Cutler a lot of money, and he isn't going anywhere. Instead of going cheap with a coach from the CFL, the Bears need to pull out all the stops and get a guy who can work with Cutler.

Mike Shanahan's run in Washington wasn't successful, but he was the one guy who got the most out of Cutler. 

Cutler, Shanahan and Brandon Marshall made beautiful Pro Bowl-style music back in their Denver days. Shanahan even got the best out of currently beleaguered Robert Griffin III. 

With two Super Bowl rings and a successful history with Cutler as well as running the football, Shanahan deserves another shot in this league and it should be with the Bears. 

Find a Young Impact Player on Defense

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

It's clear the Bears need better talent on defense. They just simply cannot match up with players like Aaron Rodgers or Calvin Johnson. 

Kyle Fuller is a solid pick but the Bears need an impact player to build a defense around. When the franchise is at its best, there's a defensive leader to set the tone. 

As of now, the Bears figure to draft anywhere from ninth-11th in the first round. They should be targeting Alabama safety Landon Collins in that area. 

Collins would be great addition as a forceful tackler who can cause impact turnovers. He has the size and speed to play either safety spot but would probably work best as a strong safety for the Bears. 

Considering safety has been a problem for quite some time now, Collins is the impact player the Bears must have if, of course, he's on the board whenever they draft.