Reports are flying out of Denver Monday evening that Broncos coach Josh McDaniels and defensive coordinator Mike Nolan have decided to part ways.
Nolan led a dramatic turnaround in Denver this year, taking over one of the worst defenses in football and making the Broncos competitive. McDaniels, however, has opted to run another productive person out of Mile High.
This pushes the doors WIDE OPEN for the Bears to grab a great, professional defensive coordinator. Nolan, who was the head coach of the 49ers before being replaced by Mike Singletary, could be a fantastic fit on the sidelines in Chicago.
Under Nolan's guidance, the Broncos improved from being ranked 29th in 2008 to seventh this past season. The defense did, however, allow an average of 30.5 points per game during the team's second half tailspin that cost them a playoff spot.
Nolan has been a strong believer in a 3-4 scheme, contrary to what the Bears have historically used. However, given the unfortunate death of Gaines Adams, the likely departure of Adewale Ogunleye, and the questions surrounding Brian Urlacher's ability to stay on the field, making a dramatic change in scheme might be just what the doctor ordered.
By moving another linebacker, perhaps Jamar Williams, inside next to Urlacher, it would take pressure off the veteran superstar and would also open the potential for Lance Briggs to be used more in blitzing packages.
In Denver this year, Nolan's defense saw a dramatic increase in pass rush productivity, something Rod Miranelli was supposed to create when he was brought in as the defensive line coach this year. However, the Bears defense disappointed this year and Lovie Smith was stripped of his play calling duties in the shakeup after the season ended.
As more news regarding this separation comes available, we'll update more.
Filed under: Chicago Bears
Tags: @Featured, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Josh McDaniels, Mike Nolan
If Lovie hires a non-Cover-2 coordinator - in other words, someone who will clash with him instead of agree with him - it would be a bigger upset than Jets over Chargers.
LOL... I might push that button a little harder and say Lovie hiring someone that didn't work with him in Tampa and/or St. Louis would be a bigger upset than Joe Namath's Jets winning the Super Bowl! It looks now like Nolan might be in quick negotiations to move to Miami as their defensive coordinator. In my humble opinion, the 3-4 might not only be a better defense in the North, but might prolong Urlacher's career as well. Nolan would be a great person to implement it.
Stop making sense! That will get you nowhere with Bears upper management!!
All these perfectly sensible comments are giving me a headache. Bears....Nolan...improved defense....ahhhhhhhhhhh
I have to agree with Mike Nadel - virtually no chance of Nolan coming here. I'm already hearing rumbles that he will take the reigns for the Dolphins' D.
The idea of switching to a 3-4 defense sounds good on the surface, but the problem with switching to that scheme is that we don't have the personnel for it. Just because we appear to have 4 good linebackers doesn't mean that we have linebackers suited for a 3-4 defense.
Jerry and Lovie have been acquiring prototypical Cover-2 guys for years and with a limited free agency period and not much of a draft class to look forward to, I'm not sure that the Bears could pull off the switch.
The Packers did it (and well I might begrudgingly add) because they spent two high draft picks to get 3-4 guys in key spots on their D.
Sadly, I expect Lovie will dig up a Cover-2 puppet whose strings he can pull.
Thanks for the comment, Mike, and I've read that Nolan has indeed agreed to become the D-Coordinator for Miami already as well. So that's out the window. Too bad.
Regarding the 3-4, Angelo has really handcuffed the coming season by unloading our top two picks, especially with the unfortunate passing of Adams making the traded 2nd a complete loss to the organization. Part of the underlying thinking I have regarding the 3-4 is that it's not only a better scheme to attack dynamic offenses like the Bears face in Green Bay and Minnesota, but the Adams deal presumably signaled the end of Ogunleye's career in Chicago. That means the Bears will now either continue paying an aging, declining end or they'll have to bring someone in to fill that spot. Additionally, whether or not we have someone to stick inside next to Urlacher wasn't as much a thought as finding someone to play there would prolong Urlacher's career; at this point, he's worth more to the team being a part of it than in a trade in my opinion.
How the CBA mess sorts out, and if the matter of the 200+ UFA's becoming RFA's isn't corrected before an uncapped year, the Bears will be sitting on a pile of nothing. If Brandon Marshall becomes restricted, the Bears don't have a 1st or 2nd to put on the table to even make a qualifying offer! That could mean Lovie's as much a dead man walking because of personnel as he is because of his inability to create a defense that's effective.
Which is why the "desireable" jobs on the Bears coaching staff are still vacant, while guys like Nolan are making lateral moves to Miami instead. Nobody wants to be rented for one year, but Lovie's staff will have all of their careers on the field for 16 games next year.
That's the killer. There'll be all of this free agent candy, 6'5 receivers falling over themselves to get a new team (with a cannon-armed young QB), and the Bears haven't got two pennies to rub together in terms of draft picks to offer. How about giving them Hester ? Would they be interested ? but the one thing that has me wet is the thought of Jamar Williams inside with Urlacher. Pisa and Briggs on the outside. TH, Harrison, Adams, Izzy. Awesome.
You're absolutely right, Sweetness... the Bears could have been in position to make some bold moves, but free agency and the trade market are going to treat the Bears just like the playoffs - they'll be on the sidelines watching other teams play.
Jamar Williams on the inside with Urlacher has me wet.... Pisa and Briggs on the outside .... Izzy, Brown, Adams, Harrison, Harris, Anderson ... awesome.