Eagles at Bears Sunday 7:20 on NBC

[jersey cubs fan]

The belief seems to be that Shanahan will be looking for coaching and GM duties. So unless Angelo is gone, he's an unlikely fit.

 

He can look, but will he find it? Shanny is kind of old, and he was fired from his last job. This isn't Holmgren leaving GB for Seattle in '98 on his own terms as a 50 year old. His team struggled toward the end and he was canned, and a lot of people have given up on the Coach/GM model. It doesn't tend to work.

[SpongeWorthy]

Cowher can't bring in offensive minds?

 

Mularkey and Whisenhunt were total no names until they worked as position coaches and then offensive coordinators under Cowher and now they're two of the best in the league.

[Magnetic Curses]

I don't see either Angelo or Smith leaving until after next year (Jan 2011). Too much money is tied up in their contracts to be getting rid of them at this point.

 

I don't see it happening either. I'm guessing Lovie and Jerry get one last chance to make it work with a new OC next season.

 

the problem there is the only kind of system that's easy enough to learn in such short a time is a turner-esque west coast system.

[jersey cubs fan]

Cowher can't bring in offensive minds?

 

Mularkey and Whisenhunt were total no names until they worked as position coaches and then offensive coordinators under Cowher and now they're two of the best in the league.

 

I didn't say he can't, I said I have doubts that he would. He's a defense first guy. And in Pittsburgh he was employed by one of the best organizations that consistently wins and has a strong ownership/front office situation. He's had a couple guys come through his system and branch out, but Pittsburgh always found success because of defense, and they haven't missed a beat since he left. They went through plenty of QB's as well. The Bears are committed to Jay Cutler right now. They have to make it work with him. They have to find somebody who can develop him, and in my opinion that requires a serious offensive mind.

[Soul]

I can't see them paying Lovie not to coach, plus paying someone else to coach.

 

I doubt it happens as well. But the fans want change, so I believe this will continue to be a sore spot all the way through. Especially because there's a perception that not grabbing one of these big names this offseason would be a big missed opportunity.

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't see either Angelo or Smith leaving until after next year (Jan 2011). Too much money is tied up in their contracts to be getting rid of them at this point.

 

I don't see it happening either. I'm guessing Lovie and Jerry get one last chance to make it work with a new OC next season.

 

the problem there is the only kind of system that's easy enough to learn in such short a time is a turner-esque west coast system.

 

Well yeah, it's not an ideal situation. I'd prefer they cut loose everybody and start fresh. But they will feel the need to do something, and the best thing they can do is try and get a guy who can salvage the Cutler experiment. Turner has never develop a top quality QB, college or pro. He's been around for a long time and hasn't done it. Maybe his system is fine, but he can't coach a QB to perform in it. I can't see the Bears giving them another chance to make a move with the defensive coordinator situation. The offense continues to disappoint, as it's been a bottom half squad for nearly every Ron Turner season. In 9 seasons as OC the offense has ranked in the top half only twice, and only once have they been top ten. They have been 20th or worst in most every other season. They've had a consistent lack of ability to move the ball and score points. They have to make some sort of move affecting the offense.

[Keener98]

Where the Cower talk gets me interested is when he says "Texans and Bears". Id be all for Cower taking the Texans job, and hiring Kubiak as our OC. The likelihood of Kubiak getting fired seems to be more possible as they were really hoping for a playoff push this year, and they have lost a lot of close games. I could see Texans ownership wanting to show their fans they are "committed to winning" by hiring a big name like Cower.

[gflore34]

I don't see either Angelo or Smith leaving until after next year (Jan 2011). Too much money is tied up in their contracts to be getting rid of them at this point.

 

I don't see it happening either. I'm guessing Lovie and Jerry get one last chance to make it work with a new OC next season.

 

the problem there is the only kind of system that's easy enough to learn in such short a time is a turner-esque west coast system.

 

Well yeah, it's not an ideal situation. I'd prefer they cut loose everybody and start fresh. But they will feel the need to do something, and the best thing they can do is try and get a guy who can salvage the Cutler experiment. Turner has never develop a top quality QB, college or pro. He's been around for a long time and hasn't done it. Maybe his system is fine, but he can't coach a QB to perform in it. I can't see the Bears giving them another chance to make a move with the defensive coordinator situation. The offense continues to disappoint, as it's been a bottom half squad for nearly every Ron Turner season. In 9 seasons as OC the offense has ranked in the top half only twice, and only once have they been top ten. They have been 20th or worst in most every other season. They've had a consistent lack of ability to move the ball and score points. They have to make some sort of move affecting the offense.

 

Doesn't it all start with the OL? OL, for the most part, means draft, at which Angelo and Smith have shown they are unable to do well.

[Soul]

I'd welcome Cowher all things considered. I think he's certainly got a better chance at identifying an acceptable OC than Lovie.

 

I'd take Shanahan first, but wouldn't complain about Cowher.

 

I'd be very surprised to see either one actually happen.

[hawkeyecub]

I don't see either Angelo or Smith leaving until after next year (Jan 2011). Too much money is tied up in their contracts to be getting rid of them at this point.

 

I don't see it happening either. I'm guessing Lovie and Jerry get one last chance to make it work with a new OC next season.

 

Turner will probably take the fall for the problems this year but I think that creates a tough situation. The only way you attract a sought after OC with Lovie's situation is if you give him a 3-year contract that has a big buyout. Then if Lovie gets canned next year you have no idea if the new head coach will want him. So you could add another heavy buyout and force Cutler to enter 2011 working with his 4th Offensive Coordinator in 4 years.

 

Most likely you'd have to hire a retread with few options or a young coach with little experience to replace Turner next year. Is it worth it to have Cutler learning a new offense again and maybe only for a year?

[Keener98]

I don't see either Angelo or Smith leaving until after next year (Jan 2011). Too much money is tied up in their contracts to be getting rid of them at this point.

 

I don't see it happening either. I'm guessing Lovie and Jerry get one last chance to make it work with a new OC next season.

 

Turner will probably take the fall for the problems this year but I think that creates a tough situation. The only way you attract a sought after OC with Lovie's situation is if you give him a 3-year contract that has a big buyout. Then if Lovie gets canned next year you have no idea if the new head coach will want him. So you could add another heavy buyout and force Cutler to enter 2011 working with his 4th Offensive Coordinator in 4 years.

 

Most likely you'd have to hire a retread with few options or a young coach with little experience to replace Turner next year. Is it worth it to have Cutler learning a new offense again and maybe only for a year?

 

If Kubiak is fired Id think hes a big enough "offensive name" that the new head coach would have no problem keeping him on. I may be wrong about that , but thats my thinking. Hell, Kubiak could have a chance to take over for Lovie if he came here.

[Soul]

When you start to think about these permutations, it seems clear that the best move for the football team is to eat that money and start with a good HC, and a solid OC.

 

If they don't, and they play games with Cutler and multiple OCs, they're sure to ruin him for good.

[hawkeyecub]

I don't see either Angelo or Smith leaving until after next year (Jan 2011). Too much money is tied up in their contracts to be getting rid of them at this point.

 

I don't see it happening either. I'm guessing Lovie and Jerry get one last chance to make it work with a new OC next season.

 

Turner will probably take the fall for the problems this year but I think that creates a tough situation. The only way you attract a sought after OC with Lovie's situation is if you give him a 3-year contract that has a big buyout. Then if Lovie gets canned next year you have no idea if the new head coach will want him. So you could add another heavy buyout and force Cutler to enter 2011 working with his 4th Offensive Coordinator in 4 years.

 

Most likely you'd have to hire a retread with few options or a young coach with little experience to replace Turner next year. Is it worth it to have Cutler learning a new offense again and maybe only for a year?

 

If Kubiak is fired Id think hes a big enough "offensive name" that the new head coach would have no problem keeping him on. I may be wrong about that , but thats my thinking. Hell, Kubiak could have a chance to take over for Lovie if he came here.

 

Sure that's definitely possible but I'm not looking at it in terms of being a big name. It's more of an issue if they don't have the same philosophies, have a clash of ego's, etc. I'm with Soul. I think you either go all out with the fresh start or if you're giving Lovie another year you let him keep his guys and see if they can make it work.

 

The only way it really works to bring in an OC this spring is if you have a good year and Lovie keeps his job. Otherwise you're looking at Cutler possibly having 4 OC's in 4 years or you limit your next head coach and he probably would make the change as soon as things get rough.

[jersey cubs fan]

Doesn't it all start with the OL? OL, for the most part, means draft, at which Angelo and Smith have shown they are unable to do well.

 

I think a complete fix of the line has to come through the draft, but scheme and coaching can play a big role in improving things.

[Wilson A2000]

What are some of the higher paid coaches in the league? If Cowher wants $10 million, isn't that at least a few million more than the next highest paid coach? If you get Cowher, you gotta get rid of Lovie, and the coordinators and probably most of the other coaches. The pricetag is going to be pretty expensive. I'm not saying that paying all of these guys to get rid of them is impossible, but it is unprecedented from the McCaskey's perspective.

 

Shannahan is going to want GM duties and head coaching duties correct?

[SpongeWorthy]

What are some of the higher paid coaches in the league? If Cowher wants $10 million, isn't that at least a few million more than the next highest paid coach? If you get Cowher, you gotta get rid of Lovie, and the coordinators and probably most of the other coaches. The pricetag is going to be pretty expensive. I'm not saying that paying all of these guys to get rid of them is impossible, but it is unprecedented from the McCaskey's perspective.

 

Shannahan is going to want GM duties and head coaching duties correct?

 

http://www.forbes.com/2009/05/13/highest-paid-coaches-business-sports-nba.html

 

Apparently Lovie and Fisher are the highest paid coaches in the NFL at 5.5 million? Belichick is at 5 million.

 

http://www.coacheshotseat.com/SalariesNFLCoaches.htm

 

That list says Holmgren was getting $8 million and Shanahan was getting $6 million. I doubt Cowher gets $10 million with the economy and so many good names on the market. I can't imagine someone demanding double what Belichick makes...