Bears DC — Who will it be?

Fri Jan 11, 2019 10:00 am

Donatell is a pretty respected guy, but I don't know how much I love him as the DC.

For starters, I don't know a ton about his philosophy but he's only coordinated 4-3 defenses (not that it matters really given his experience with Vic).

In his stint as the Packers DC from 2000-2003 his defenses were 14, 5, 12, 4. From 2004-2006 as the DC of the Falcons, his defenses were 14, 18, 25.

Not great or super consistent, and those early 2000's packers defenses were stacked. But..that Falcons team under Mora was...not.

G08 · Fri Jan 11, 2019 10:07 am

^ Thoughts on Pagano, my friend?

Players and coaches who have worked with him rave about him (as a person). I don't know enough about him and his X's and O's outside of coordinating a BALLER defense in 2011:

3rd in points allowed
3rd in sacks
2nd in rush yards per game
4th in passing yards per game

Fri Jan 11, 2019 10:11 am

G08 wrote:^ Thoughts on Pagano, my friend?

Players and coaches who have worked with him rave about him (as a person). I don't know enough about him and his X's and O's outside of coordinating a BALLER defense in 2011:

3rd in points allowed
3rd in sacks
2nd in rush yards per game
4th in passing yards per game

I'm warming up to him as an option. He's not Bowles and I had all my eggs in that basket, so it's taken me a bit to come around on other guys. I still like Caldwell a lot, but if the Bears want to go with a guy that can just set up shop and go, then I suppose Pagano is a good choice. I know his defenses give a lot of exotic looks. That was a blessing for him in Baltimore, but a curse in Indy - because in Indy his GM couldn't acquire talent for shit.

skamanfrank · Fri Jan 11, 2019 10:14 am

I mean, I just wanna hire Pagano so we can get another crazy weather/hurricane press conference out of him!

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BR0D1E86 · Fri Jan 11, 2019 10:25 am

I’m warming more and more to Pagano. Experienced (with success), can run that side of the ball on his own, old enough that there’s at least a chance he will get overlooked for head coaching jobs, and as I recall his players love he guy. I think he’s my guy.

G08 · Fri Jan 11, 2019 10:27 am

6 playoff games as a head coach including an AFC Championship game.

Valuable experience from a coordinator...

Boris13c · Fri Jan 11, 2019 12:13 pm

G08 wrote:6 playoff games as a head coach including an AFC Championship game.

Valuable experience from a coordinator...

just keep him away from Special Teams

Colts fourth down fake goes horribly wrong

Mikefive · Fri Jan 11, 2019 12:49 pm

G08 wrote:Rodgers doesn't inspire me, for whatever reason. Not that this is the reason why, but he was the defensive coordinator in that Packers/Eagles playoff game when McNabb converted 4th and 26.

Pagano has that Ravens background which I am starting to love the more I research top defense in the NFL the past decade. He might be my dude and I don't anticipate him getting another HC job anytime soon (I've been wrong before).

Seems like a reasonable option to me.

If I'm the Bears and Nagy, my primary goal is to find a DC with experience who can take the defense and run with it without deviating too much from Fangio's 3-4 concepts. Nagy is not in a position to be trying to manage the other side of the ball, something he's never done yet. Obviously, a new DC will have to run the defense his way and add his own wrinkles. But we can't be going in a significantly different direction defensively after the group we currently have which isn't losing much was just tops in the league.

G08 · Fri Jan 11, 2019 1:51 pm

Looks like jobs are starting to get filled up:

Jets - Gase on the verge of landing Gregg Williams
Cardinals - Vance Joseph
Browns - Interviewing Steve Wilks

What other openings are there that I am forgetting?

crueltyabc · Fri Jan 11, 2019 2:10 pm

I'm warming up on Pagano. I'm also wondering why no interest in Dom Capers. The Packers stench is too much?

Funkster · Fri Jan 11, 2019 2:13 pm

G08 wrote:Looks like jobs are starting to get filled up:

Jets - Gase on the verge of landing Gregg Williams
Cardinals - Vance Joseph
Browns - Interviewing Steve Wilks

What other openings are there that I am forgetting?

This is making wonder if the bears already have their guy and are just double checking their work. The top candidates are being signed elsewhere. The bears having the best defense and a lot of studs locked up, this should have had a line out the door. This has to be an in house promotion or a college coach being brought up?

G08 · Fri Jan 11, 2019 2:14 pm

Funkster wrote:
G08 wrote:Looks like jobs are starting to get filled up:

Jets - Gase on the verge of landing Gregg Williams
Cardinals - Vance Joseph
Browns - Interviewing Steve Wilks

What other openings are there that I am forgetting?

This is making wonder if the bears already have their guy and are just double checking their work. The top candidates are being signed elsewhere. The bears having the best defense and a lot of studs locked up, this should have had a line out the door. This has to be an in house promotion or a college coach being brought up?

I think it means Donatell, Pagano, and maybe one other mystery coach (Harris?)

The fact that the Bears are holding a presser Monday afternoon lends me to believe they want to wrap this up prior to then. Or maybe not.... who knows.

LacertineForest · Fri Jan 11, 2019 2:36 pm

Brad Biggs @BradBiggs wrote: 6m

#Bears meeting with Chuck Pagano for defensive coordinator job. Tribune report: trib.in/2SRsLiO

G08 · Fri Jan 11, 2019 2:53 pm

I'm in on Pagano over Donatell.

thunderspirit · Fri Jan 11, 2019 2:54 pm

Pagano and Fangio worked together in Baltimore.

Wonder if Vic suggested Pagano when accepting the job in Denver.

sturf · Fri Jan 11, 2019 2:58 pm

One interesting thing is that the Bears Safety Coach since 2017 Roy Anderson worked for Pagano in Baltimore and then went with him to Indianapolis. Could help Pagano transition if he is the guy.

Also looking at the Bears defensive assistants. Outside of Donatell they seem to be John Fox hires. Jay Rodgers came from Denver with Fox for example. He's one guy I would want to keep even if Pagano comes in.