Will Matt Nagy Coach The Bears in 2022?
Out of all the tenuous coaching situations throughout the NFL, the one in Chicago may be the most interesting. Matt Nagy has displayed enough during his tenure as head coach of the Bears that a case can be made either way for the team to keep him or move on at the end of the season. 
After being hired in 2018, Nagy helped the team to an impressive 12-4 record, earning himself Coach of the Year honors. Back-to-back 8-8 seasons followed, however, including a six game losing streak in 2020. While the Bears made it to the playoffs that year — the second trip to the postseason in three campaigns under Nagy — things have not gone nearly as well in 2021. Another five-game skid has contributed to a 4-9 overall record, and uncertainty about his job security came to a head as recently as Thanksgiving.
Cause for optimism came in April in the form of Justin Fields being drafted 11th overall as the latest attempt to solidify the quarterback position. The former Buckeye represented not only a potential upgrade over Mitch Trubisky, but a lifeline for Nagy and GM Ryan Pace. With enough signs of franchise potential – if not results in the win-loss column along the way – there would be an argument to be made in favor of keeping the coach-quarterback relationship together at least one more year.
Things haven’t been stellar for Fields or the Bears in 2021, though. In and out of the lineup with injuries, and splitting the starting job with free agent signing Andy Dalton, Fields currently has a record of 2-7. While he has shown flashes with his legs in particular, posting 385 rushing yards and two touchdowns averaging just under six yards per attempt, he has struggled in the passing game. His completion percentage (57.6%), touchdown-to-interception ratio (six to 10) and 33 sacks taken are some of statistics that are evidence of a struggling offense, much of the blame for which has been laid at Nagy’s feet.
Have your say below regarding Nagy’s coaching future in Chicago (link for app users):
Bears Considering Trace Armstrong For Top Exec Post?
9:53am: Armstrong has taken to Twitter to deny having contact with the Bears about this position: “I have the utmost respect for the Chicago Bears organization, the McCaskey family and Ted Phillips,” he said. “However, any assertion that I have engaged in conversations with them about joining the club in any capacity is simply not true.”
9:12am: Major changes could be afoot in the Windy City. Bears head coach Matt Nagy is almost certainly going to be axed at season’s end, GM Ryan Pace‘s hold on his position seems tenuous as well, and as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes, Chicago is mulling an overhaul of its entire power structure.
La Canfora says that team ownership has discussed a top management position with Trace Armstrong, a longtime NFL player and a prolific coaching agent who also represents broadcasting talent and current NFL execs. Such a position would see Armstrong at the top of the football operations department, with the head coach and GM reporting directly to him.
One of Armstrong’s top clients is Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, who has led the Buckeyes to a 33-4 record since taking charge of the program in 2019. Day, 42, has served as the QB coach for the Eagles and 49ers and has also been connected to the Titans’ OC job and the Jaguars’ head coaching post in recent years. Armstrong believes that Day can be a winning head coach in the NFL, and it would be sorely tempting to reunite him with Justin Fields, his former OSU pupil.
While it would of course be difficult to leave his agent practice, Armstrong is serious about this position, and he is held in high esteem by the McCaskey family and team president Ted Phillips. The Bears selected Armstrong in the first round of the 1989 draft, and he spent the first six years of his pro career in Chicago. He racked up 42 sacks in that time, and he ended his career with 106 sacks, including a 2000 Pro Bowl campaign with the Dolphins that saw him pile up 16.5 QB takedowns. From 1996 through the end of his playing career in 2003, Armstrong worked as the NFLPA president.
Another prominent client of Armstrong’s is Raiders director of pro scouting Dwayne Joseph, who may join the Bears’ front office if this scenario materializes. Joseph, who served as a Chicago staffer from 1998-03 and again from 2012-15, was recently named as a top minority candidate for a GM job.
This is all still in the preliminary stages, of course, but a shake-up like this one might not be the worst idea for a franchise that has qualified for the playoffs just three times since its Super Bowl XLI loss to the Colts at the end of the 2006 season and that has been stuck in neutral for awhile.
Bears’ OL Coach Leaving For Nebraska
Bears’ assistant offensive line coach Donovan Raiola is leaving Chicago to become the offensive line coach at the University of Nebraska, reports Michael David Smith of NBC Sports. Raiola’s midseason departure comes as no surprise as Matt Nagy sees his grasp on the head coaching position in Chicago becoming more and more tenuous. Nagy stands as the longest-tenured head coach currently in the NFL without a win in the postseason.
Although Raiola played college football for the rival Wisconsin Badgers, he does have ties to Nebraska as his older brother, Dominic, won the Rimington Trophy for the best center in college football in 2000 as a Cornhusker.
Raiola is filling a vacancy on Scott Frost’s staff left by Greg Austin who followed Frost from the University of Central Florida to Nebraska in 2017 and was let go in November as Frost decided to make major changes in an attempt to right the ship of a struggling Cornhuskers team. The Bears offensive line won’t be abandoned as Juan Castillo remains as the offensive line coach in Chicago.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/11/21
Here is how teams finalized their Week 14 rosters:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from IR: TE Hayden Hurst
- Promoted: RB Qadree Ollison, S Shawn Williams
- Waived: RB Wayne Gallman
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: CB Robert Jackson, T David Sharpe
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from IR: G Jon Feliciano
- Promoted: DE Eli Ankou, DT Brandin Bryant, LB Joe Giles-Harris
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from IR: T Cameron Erving
- Promoted: RB Reggie Bonnafon, LB Frankie Luvu, OL Patrick Omameh
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: LB Charles Snowden
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: LB Austin Calitro, LB Keandre Jones
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from IR: LB Jacob Phillips
- Promoted: DB Herb Miller, DB Jovante Moffatt, WR JoJo Natson
- Waived: WR Ja’Marcus Bradley
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: TE Ian Bunting, RB JaQuan Hardy, S Darian Thompson
- Waived: DT Justin Hamilton
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: LB Micah Kiser, CB Michael Ojemudia
Detroit Lions
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Mark Gilbert, CB Ifeatu Melifonwu
- Promoted: CB Corey Ballentine, LB Curtis Bolton, DE Bruce Hector, CB Parnell Motley, RB Craig Reynolds, CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, RB Rodney Smith, TE Shane Zylstra
Houston Texans
- Promoted: DB Grayland Arnold, WR Phillip Dorsett, DL Chris Smith
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: DB Dicaprio Bootle, DB Josh Jackson
- Placed on IR: DB Chris Lammons
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on IR: LB Kyler Fackrell
- Promoted: DB Ben DeLuca, LB Emeke Egbule, WR Jason Moore
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Salvon Ahmed
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from IR: DB Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
- Promoted: G James Carpenter, LB Chase Hansen, WR Kevin White, WR Easop Winston, TE Ethan Wolf
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR Pharoh Cooper, DB Jarren Williams
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: CB Brandin Echols
- Promoted: DE Ronald Blair, TE Dan Brown, WR D.J. Montgomery, WR Vyncint Smith
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: RB Trenton Cannon, CB Emmanuel Moseley
- Promoted: WR River Cracraft, RB Brian Hill, CB Saivion Smith, S Jarrod Wilson
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: LB Edmond Robinson
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: S Dane Cruikshank, WR Racey McMath
- Placed on IR: TE Tommy Hudson; this is Hudson’s second IR trip, ending his season
- Promoted: WR Cody Hollister, DL Kevin Strong
- Waived: S Brady Breeze
Washington Football Team
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Darryl Roberts, DE James Smith-Williams
- Placed on IR: G Wes Schweitzer
- Promoted: DE William Bradley-King, LB De’Jon Harris, S Jeremy Reaves, C Jon Toth
Bears Promote LB Irvin, Move LB Marsh To IR
Bears’ linebacker Bruce Irvin has been activated to the active roster after Chicago signed him to their practice squad in mid-November. Irvin saw his first game action of the season last week as a temporary call-up in the Bears’ loss against Arizona.
The ten-year veteran has bounced around a bit since 2018 despite showing pretty consistent success throughout his career. There have only been two seasons in which Irvin failed to amass 5.5 sacks – 2013, when he missed the first four games of the season with a suspension, and 2020, when he suffered a torn ACL in Week 2. In his most recent full season, with the Carolina Panthers two years ago, Irvin tallied a career high 8.5 sacks. After his successful year in Carolina, the pass rusher signed up for a second stint with the Seahawks, who drafted him. He tore his ACL and remained on the sidelines until last week’s return to the field. Chicago will hope to see a return to form for Irvin as the team has missed the production of Khalil Mack opposite Robert Quinn. Mack has been on IR for the last three weeks after under-going foot surgery.
In a corresponding move, the Bears have placed Irvin’s former teammate from Seattle, Cassius Marsh, on injured reserve. Marsh was signed to the Bears practice squad about two weeks before Irvin’s arrival. In four games of action this season, Marsh had totaled 1.0 sack and 6 tackles.
Bills’ Leslie Frazier On Bears’ HC Radar?
While the smoke about a Matt Nagy post-Thanksgiving firing did not produce anything, the fourth-year Bears HC is likely coaching out the string. The Bears appear to have a familiar name on their radar ahead of the hiring process.
Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier is believed to be a name to monitor regarding the Bears’ eventual HC search, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com notes (ESPN+ link). Frazier has been with Buffalo throughout Sean McDermott‘s five-year tenure, overseeing a Bills defensive resurgence, and would be a second-chance candidate after a four-season run as Vikings HC in the early 2010s.
Frazier also has clear ties to the Bears, having played for the team in the 1980s. A starting cornerback on the famed 1985 squad that finished 18-1 and routed the Patriots in Super Bowl XX, Frazier intercepted 20 passes in five seasons with Chicago. He suffered what turned out to be a career-ending knee injury in that Super Bowl. The 62-year-old assistant has been an NFL staffer since 1999, joining the Eagles under Andy Reid after two years with the University of Illinois.
Taking over the Vikings as an interim HC in 2010, Frazier did not enjoy a favorable quarterback situation while in that role. The Vikings used Christian Ponder as their starter for most of Frazier’s run. The Bears, of course, have struggled on this front as well for quite some time. Frazier has called defensive plays for the Bills and has been connected to a couple of coaching searches in recent years.
Frazier interviewed twice for the Texans job that went to David Culley this year and met with the Colts following the Josh McDaniels about-face in 2018. Bills ownership has pushed for a team to hire Frazier as HC. Given Buffalo’s defensive success, it will be interesting if Frazier becomes a more popular candidate during the 2022 hiring period.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/7/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DB Cornell Armstrong
- Released: CB Chris Williamson, OT Rick Leonard
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: RB Jacques Patrick
- Released: WR Matt Cole
Chicago Bears
- Signed: FB Ben Mason
- Released: LB Rashad Smith
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: TE Ross Travis
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR/KR Tyrie Cleveland
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: QB Kurt Benkert
New York Giants
- Signed: QB Clayton Thorson
New York Jets
- Signed: K Matt Amendola, WR Tarik Black
- Released: WR Keelan Doss
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: DB Elijah Benton
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LS Garrison Sanborn
Bears Activate T Teven Jenkins From IR
Despite Teven Jenkins undergoing back surgery in August, it appears the Bears will see their second-round pick on the field this season. The rookie tackle is back on Chicago’s 53-man roster.
The Bears activated Jenkins from IR on Saturday, a move Matt Nagy indicated was on tap ahead of Week 13. While it is not certain if Jenkins will move into the starting lineup soon, his seeing any time this year can be viewed as progress. The Oklahoma State product faced the prospect of missing his rookie season.
Chicago parted ways with longtime tackle starters Charles Leno and Bobby Massie this offseason and moved to sign Jason Peters after Jenkins’ injury. Peters’ extensive injury history notwithstanding, the 39-year-old veteran has started every game for the Bears this season. Jenkins received reps at both the left and right tackle spots during training camp, so it will be interesting to see how the Bears deploy him to start his career.
Jenkins was the fifth tackle off the board in this year’s draft. He started 35 games at Oklahoma State, helping Chuba Hubbard earn Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year acclaim in 2019 and earning first-team all-conference recognition last year. With the Bears having an 18th-year veteran at left tackle and having not invested much on the right side, Jenkins will be given every opportunity to be a long-term starter up front.
Bears To Start Andy Dalton In Week 13
Justin Fields practiced this week, but the Bears are keeping Andy Dalton in their starting lineup for the time being. The 11th-year passer is set to start against the Cardinals, Matt Nagy said Friday. Nick Foles will be Dalton’s backup.
Nagy has said Fields will return to Chicago’s lineup when he’s healthy. The first-rounder logged three practices this week but each came in a limited capacity. This will lead to Dalton making a second straight start.
Sunday will be Dalton’s fourth start this season. Chicago is 2-1 in games Dalton starts, though the team’s Week 2 win over Cincinnati featured Fields replacing an injured Dalton midgame. Despite being proclaimed the Bears’ season-opening starter throughout the offseason, Dalton did not get his job back upon returning. He eventually returned to the lineup because of a Fields rib injury in Week 11. Foles has not taken a snap this season.
Dalton, 34, sports a 64% completion rate — compared to Fields’ 58% mark — and is coming off a 300-yard game on Thanksgiving, in a narrow Bears win over the Lions. With Fields having progressed to limited work, this might be Dalton’s last chance at auditioning for another gig in 2022. The longtime Bengals QB1’s Bears deal expires at season’s end. Foles’ contract runs through the 2022 season.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/1/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: S Blake Countess, DB Robert Jackson
- Placed on PS-IR: K Jake Verity
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DB Dee Virgin
Detroit Lions
- Signed: LB Curtis Bolton
- Released: T Darrin Paulo
New England Patriots
- Released: CB Thakarius Keyes
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: C Luke Juriga
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: LB Justin March, S Doug Middleton
- Released: S Kai Nacua
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: S Elijah Benton, WR Cade Johnson