Chicago Bears Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

More On Bears’ Decision To Fire Matt Eberflus

November 30th, 2024 at 10:47pm CST by Ben Levine

Matt Eberflus became the first Bears head coach in franchise history to get canned in-season. Considering the long list of questionable calls and demoralizing losses, the move didn’t come as a complete surprise…especially to those in the building.

[RELATED: Bears Fire Matt Eberflus]

According to Adam Jahns and Dianna Russini of The Athletic, players were especially “furious” following Chicago’s loss on Thursday. Many players questioned Eberflus’s decision to not call a timeout before the last play, with team captain Jaylon Johnson described as especially “emotional.”

“We felt as players it’s been too many instances where we fought our way back into games to lose because of bad time management and decision-making,” one player told The Athletic.

One staffer noted that the post-game locker room “was ugly” and featured “a lot of yelling.” While Eberflus tried calming down his squad with a speech, he didn’t hang around while his players continued to fume. Eberflus’s uncharacteristic exit from the locker room could have also been due to the presence of team president Kevin Warren, who notably hung around the team much longer than usual following the Thanksgiving debacle.

The locker room outburst appeared to be a long time coming. As The Athletic notes, Ebereflus’s recent attempts to take accountability for the team’s mounting losses appeared to be “insincere” and countered his differing tone from earlier in the season. While the now-former HC also tried saving face by firing offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, there were many in the locker room who believed Waldron wasn’t the right choice from the get-go.

Specifically, the offensive coordinator came in and installed a “pure progression passing system,” a concept that’s difficult for any QB. With Caleb Williams leading the way under center, some players voiced concerns that the staff wasn’t putting the rookie in a position to succeed. It went beyond the passing offense, as well; Waldron scrapped “two years of progress under offensive line coach Chris Morgan” by completely revamping the team’s running attack.

“Where they messed up was with Shane and making him the coordinator to begin with,” one player told The Athletic.

Chicago had a 4-2 record heading into the bye week, and the team’s demise was surely a collective effort. Still, Eberflus was going to be the clear scapegoat. Curiously, Eberflus met with the media hours before his firing. The Athletic notes that Morgan, chairman George McCaskey, and GM Ryan Poles were still meeting during that scheduled press conference, and the trio didn’t want to signal that “something big was happening” by cancelling Eberflus’s presser.

We’ve heard from Eberflus for the first time since the aforementioned press conference. The former HC released a statement this morning (h/t NBCChicago.com):

“I would like to thank the McCaskey family and Ryan Poles for the opportunity to be the head coach of the Chicago Bears … I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the players for all of their effort, dedication and resilience. In every situation – practice, games and especially in the face of adversity, you stayed together and gave great effort for your team and each other … What I am most proud of was the way you carried yourself both on and off the field and represented the Bears organization with class in the community … To the fans, thank you for your support and passion. I will always have a deep appreciation for the Bears organization and the city of Chicago.”

If there’s any silver lining, there seems to be growing optimism surrounding interim head coach Thomas Brown. The team’s former passing game coordinator was promoted to OC following Waldron’s firing, and The Athletic notes that the coach’s “communication style and leadership skills earned the respect of players and staff.”

Bears Fire Matt Eberflus

November 29th, 2024 at 10:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

Matt Eberflus offered the public remarks often made by head coaches on the hot seat in the wake of the Bears’ most recent loss. The franchise is nevertheless making an unprecedented in-season change on the sidelines.

Eberflus has been fired, as first reported by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. His tenure in Chicago comes to an end after two-plus years at the helm of the team. He compiled a 14-32 record along the way, and the latest contribution to the team’s current six-game losing streak has marked the end of his first NFL head coaching gig. Recently-promoted offensive coordinator Thomas Brown will serve as interim head coach, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network adds.

Eberflus had a strong four-year run as the Colts’ defensive coordinator before being hired by the Bears to replace Matt Nagy. The 54-year-old was unable to guide the team to a run of success in two seasons with Justin Fields at quarterback, although during the second half of last year in particular the defense did show signs of improvement. A number of moves made this past offseason added new faces on offense, highlighted by the decision to move on from Fields and select Caleb Williams with the first overall pick. The latter’s rookie season has been marred by a string of close losses in recent weeks, several of which have increased the speculation Eberflus would not last the year.

Chicago had a 4-2 record heading into the bye week, an indication the team would at least be competitive in what has proven to be a very strong NFC North. The Bears lost to the Commanders on a Hail Mary (during which cornerback Tyrique Stevenson joined Eberflus in receiving considerable blame) in Week 8, however, and that marked the beginning of the current streak. Low-scoring defeats against the Cardinals and Patriots led to a play-calling change on offense, with Brown taking over from Shane Waldron as OC.

Williams’ play has generally improved since that move was made, but narrow losses to the Packers (on a blocked field goal), Vikings (in overtime) and Lions (during which the Bears mismanaged the situation at the end of the game and did not generate at least an attempt at a game-tying field goal) have now left Eberflus out of opportunities to rebound this season. Chicago sits at 4-8 on the year with the postseason no longer a realistic possibility. He defended the manner in which the Thanksgiving game ended yesterday before a brief media availability this morning. Shortly after multiple public appearances – during which, in both cases, he expressed a belief he would be retained – Eberflus is now out of the organization.

Three head coaching vacancies are now present in the NFL. The Jets moved on from Robert Saleh while Dennis Allen was dismissed by the Saints. Eberflus now joins them as a head coach with a defensive background on the lookout for a new opportunity. No shortage of candidates (particularly on the offensive side of the ball) will be involved in the 2025 hiring cycle, likely the earliest point at which Eberflus will join a new staff.

Brown made his NFL coaching debut in 2020 with the Rams. He was a member of Sean McVay‘s staff for three years before taking the Panthers’ OC gig last offseason. The 2023 campaign saw head coach Frank Reich fired amidst changes in play-calling duties with Brown. The latter spent much of the year at the helm, though, and the lack of development shown by quarterback Bryce Young helped lead to his departure. In a very short period of time, Brown has now ascended from passing game coordinator to OC and now, at least for a short-term spell, head coach.

From a big-picture perspective, today’s move represents the continuation of an unwelcomed trend regarding the HC-QB combination in Chicago. Mitch Trubisky spent one season with John Fox before a change on the sidelines was made. Nagy, in turn, spent one year with Fields in place before being dismissed at the end of the 2021 campaign. Now, Eberflus has received less than one full campaign following the Williams selection. The young passer’s development is of course the organization’s top priority, and finding a long-term coach to pair him with for 2025 and beyond will be critical in that process.

In all, Eberflus becomes the fifth Bears head coach to be fired since George McCaskey took over as chairman in 2011. Over that span, Chicago has posted a winning record only twice while cycling through three general managers and another three offensive coordinators. Finding stability will be key moving forward, but the latest attempt on that front will include a new voice on the sidelines.

Eberflus Fallout: Bears, Warren, Brown, Poles

November 29th, 2024 at 9:48pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Bears’ Friday coaching change came as a surprise after head coach Matt Eberflus completed his morning media availability before he was fired. The coaching staff “had a normal morning” with their usual postgame meetings after Thursday’s loss to the Lions, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. Eberflus spoke to the media, though he was clearly aware of the potential to lose his job.

Meanwhile, chairman George McCaskey, team president Kevin Warren, and general manager Ryan Poles were amidst a multi-hour meeting debating Eberflus’s firing that lasted through his press conference, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The Bears’ decision-makers came to their decision and informed Eberflus so he could tell his staff before they went home for the day.

Here is more fallout from the Bears’ coaching change:

Warren remained in the locker room for much longer than usual after Thursday’s loss, per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. He spoke with several players, many of whom criticized Eberflus’s decision not to call a timeout before the last play of the game. Whether it was gathering feedback or assuring players that the front office would work to right the ship, those conversations likely factored into Warren’s approval of the firing. However, he was not present when the front office addressed the locker room after the coaching change was announced, per Breer.
Warren is expected to be on the search committee when the Bears interview head coach candidates after the regular season, per ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler. He’s had an “active role” in football operations since arriving in Chicago in 2023, according to Kahler. There is even “a perception around the league that Warren is the one making the calls,” indicating that Poles’ job security as general manager could be in question.
The scene in the locker room immediately after the game was “pretty ugly”, according to Breer. Players and coaches were frustrated with the team’s inability to close out a comeback after going down 16-0 in the first half.
Interim head coach Thomas Brown is well-regarded within the organization after starting the year as pass-game coordinator before taking over as offensive coordinator when Shane Waldron was fired earlier this month. It’s unlikely that Chicago’s first-ever midseason coaching change would install an interim that wasn’t a candidate for the full-time gig after the season is over, according to the Chicago Sun Times’ Patrick Finley. He now has five games to win over the Bears’ locker room and front office to cement his candidacy for a long-term position. If Brown inspires a turnaround, he could convince the team’s decision-makers that he’s the right man for the job before they have a chance to interview any other options.
Brown has been “hands on” with Caleb Williams over the last three games, according to the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs. Williams has averaged 275.7 passing yards in that stretch after averaging fewer than 200 over the team’s first nine games. The team appreciates Brown’s direct approach with Williams and wants to see if it has an impact on the whole team.
In addition to monitoring Brown’s potential as head coach, the Bears are still evaluating the rest of the coaching staff over the remainder of the season, per veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson.
If Brown isn’t able to earn the job, the Bears are expected to target an offensive-minded coach to further Williams’ development, per Cronin. Offensive coordinators like the Lions’ Ben Johnson, the Buccaneers’ Liam Coen, the Falcons’ Zac Robinson, and the Cardinals’ Drew Petzig could all be on Chicago’s short-list.

Matt Eberflus Speaks On Bears Job Security

November 28th, 2024 at 9:43pm CST by Ely Allen

Matt Eberflus avoided losing his job following the 2023 NFL season, though many expected his time in Chicago to come to an end. There was some turnover of staff on the offensive side of the ball, while it was determined that Eberflus would still lead the team and the defense in 2024. Despite a new offensive coordinator and a rookie quarterback drafted No. 1 overall, things have not been much better for the Bears this season. With the pressure on his job continuing to build, mistakes like the one made today continue to spell doubt concerning Eberflus’ future in Chicago.

At the end of the today’s Thanksgiving Day matchup against the division rival Lions, the Bears were looking primed to make an upset. Down three in the waning moments of the fourth quarter with one timeout, Chicago was driving down the field, potentially for a game-winning touchdown but almost certainly for a game-tying field goal that could send the game into overtime, at the very least. Surely, Bears fans held recent memories of a game-ending field goal going horribly wrong only two weeks ago against the Packers, so today’s outcome held little chance of matching that heartbreak.

Little did they know how the game would come to an unceremonious end. At Detroit’s 25-yard line, the Bears completed a pass taking Keenan Allen out of bounds at the 13-yard line with 36 seconds to go, but an illegal use of hands penalty by left guard Teven Jenkins instead moved them back 10 yards. On the next play, Caleb Williams got sacked for a six-yard loss to the 41-yard line. With a 3rd & 26, Chicago needed to, at the very least, get the ball back into workable field goal range to potentially tie the game. It was expected that they would quickly run a play to do so then call their final timeout for the field goal try. Instead, the rookie Williams spent an excessive amount of time organizing the offense for the third down play, letting the clock continue to run down until they snapped the ball with six seconds in the game. By the time Williams’ pass attempt to rookie wideout Rome Odunze fell harmlessly to the ground, the game clock had hit zero and the game was lost.

Following the loss, several players expressed shock that the game came to an end with the team heading home with a timeout in their pocket. According to Adam Jahns of The Athletic, Eberflus delivered a message to his team in the moments after the loss, but most players declined to relay his comments to the media. The media asked Eberflus, directly, if he was concerned with his job security.

“This is the NFL,” Eberflus answered, per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. “I know where it is. I’m just going to put my best foot forward, and I’m going to get to work and keep grinding. So that’s what we do.” When asked if he expected to be the Bears’ head coach next week, he repeated, “I’m going to keep grinding and working. That’s what I do.”

It’s hard to say that the Bears have been an absolute disaster during Eberflus’ tenure as they’ve been decently competitive despite the poor results. Associated Press sports writer Josh Debow provided the statistic that out of 221 NFL head coaches who have had 20 or more games decided by seven points or fewer, Eberflus’ .227 win percentage (5-17) ranks 221st. More significant to this season, Cronin pointed out that, during Chicago’s six-game losing streak, the Bears are the first team since turnovers were first tracked as a stat in 1933 to not commit multiple turnovers in any of the games in a losing streak of that length.

Those stats point to two concerning facets of the coaching game, the first of which is winning close games. While winning at all is obviously resultant on a team’s talent, winning close games can often come down to game management and decisions made by the coaching staff. The fact that the team is losing close games and losing games while limiting turnovers likely means that the Bears are, for the most part, putting themselves in a position to win. While many factors contribute to a final result, a significant amount of blame is going to fall on Eberflus’ shoulders in these situations.

The axe has already fallen on former Jets head coach Robert Saleh and former Saints head coach Dennis Allen. In an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer predicted that the current number of two firings could end up rising to somewhere around seven to 10 by Black Monday. Breer listed Jacksonville and Dallas as potential destinations needing new leadership, and with today’s loss as an exclamation point, it’s seeming more and more likely that Chicago can be considered, as well.

2024 NFL Dead Money, By Team

November 27th, 2024 at 12:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants making the decision to waive Daniel Jones, rather than keep him around ahead of a potential 2025 post-June 1 cut designation, changed their dead money outlook for this year and next. Here is how their new total fits in with the rest of the teams’ numbers for dead money — cap space allocated to players no longer on the roster — entering the final third of the regular season. Numbers courtesy of OverTheCap.

Denver Broncos: $85.21MM
New York Giants: $79.57MM
Minnesota Vikings: $69.83MM
Buffalo Bills: $68.47MM
Carolina Panthers: $68.28MM
Green Bay Packers: $65.53MM
Tennessee Titans: $62.89MM
Philadelphia Eagles: $61.95MM
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $60.64MM
New Orleans Saints: $59.44MM
New York Jets: $59.24MM
Los Angeles Chargers: $58.62MM
New England Patriots: $53.37MM
Miami Dolphins: $52.28MM
Seattle Seahawks: $52MM
Jacksonville Jaguars: $51.2MM
Las Vegas Raiders: $49.37MM
Washington Commanders: $42.81MM
Houston Texans: $39.28MM
Cleveland Browns: $38.79MM
Los Angeles Rams: $34.63MM
Detroit Lions: $33.71MM
Pittsburgh Steelers: $30.18MM
Chicago Bears: $29.65MM
Arizona Cardinals: $29.35MM
San Francisco 49ers: $26.91MM
Dallas Cowboys: $26.79MM
Baltimore Ravens: $21.35MM
Kansas City Chiefs: $12.65MM
Indianapolis Colts: $11.8MM
Atlanta Falcons: $11.55MM
Cincinnati Bengals: $9.11MM

The Jones release moved more than $13MM of dead cap onto the Giants’ 2024 payroll. More significantly, the Giants granting Jones an early exit — after a contract-driven benching — will prevent the team from designating him a post-June 1 cut next year. The Giants will take on $22.2MM in dead money in 2025, rather than being able to split that bill over two offseasons. The team also took on more than $10MM in dead money this year due to the 2023 Leonard Williams trade.

This year’s most egregious dead money offender has been known for months. The Broncos’ contract-driven Russell Wilson benching last year preceded a historic release, which saddled the team with more than $83MM in total dead money. A small cap credit is set to come in 2025 (via Wilson’s veteran-minimum Pittsburgh pact), but for this year, $53MM in dead cap hit Denver’s payroll as a result of the the quarterback’s release.

The Broncos more than doubled the previous single-player dead money record, which the Falcons held ($40.5MM) for trading Matt Ryan), and they will be on the hook for the final $30MM-plus in 2025. Beyond Wilson, no other ex-Bronco counts more than $7.5MM in dead money. In terms of total dead cap, however, the Broncos barely check in north of the Buccaneers and Rams’ 2023 totals. Denver is trying to follow those teams’ lead in rallying back to make the playoffs despite nearly a third of its 2024 payroll tied up in dead cap.

Twenty-two players represent dead money for the Saints, who have seen their total updated since the Marshon Lattimore trade. Rather than restructure-crazed GM Mickey Loomis using the Lattimore contract once again to create cap space next year, the Saints will take on the highest non-QB dead money hit in NFL history. Lattimore counts $14MM in that category this year before the contract shifts to a whopping $31.66MM in dead cap on New Orleans’ 2025 payroll. Considering the Saints are again in their own sector for cap trouble next year ($62MM-plus over), the Lattimore trade will create some issues as the team attempts to rebound post-Dennis Allen.

Two 2023 restructures ballooned the Vikings’ figure toward $70MM. Void years on Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter‘s deals combined for more than $43MM in dead money. Minnesota also ate nearly $7MM from the void years on Marcus Davenport‘s one-year contract, while the release of 2022 first-rounder Lewis Cine (currently on the Bills’ practice squad) accounted for more than $5MM.

Free from the Tom Brady dead money that comprised a chunk of their 2023 cap, the Bucs still have eight-figure hits from the Carlton Davis trade and Mike Evans‘ previous contract voiding not long before the sides agreed on a new deal. Elsewhere in the NFC South, three of the players given multiyear deals in 2023 — Vonn Bell, Hayden Hurst, Bradley Bozeman — being moved off the roster in GM Dan Morgan‘s first offseason represent nearly half of Carolina’s dead cap.

Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order

November 25th, 2024 at 10:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Week 12 slate of games is in the books. For many teams, attention is increasingly turning toward the offseason with a playoff berth no longer in reach.

Plenty of time remains for the draft order to change over the coming months, and it will be interesting to see which teams wind up in position to add at the quarterback spot in particular. The crop of prospects for 2025 is not held in high regard after Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, meaning the demand for potential franchise passers is set to outweigh demand at the top of the board. Of course, players like Sanders’ Colorado teammate Travis Hunter will be among the ones worth watching closely as well.

The Jets have moved on from head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas, inviting questions about a reset under center as well. Aaron Rodgers wants to play in 2025, but it remains to be seen how his relationship with the organization will take shape down the stretch and if a new regime will prefer to move on at the position. The Giants, meanwhile, confirmed they will be in the market for a new signal-caller with Daniel Jones no longer in the fold.

Teams such as the Raiders have long been mentioned as a team to watch regarding a rookie QB pursuit. Jayden Daniels was a target for head coach Antonio Pierce last spring, and it would come as no surprise if Vegas were to make a push for a long-term starting option this time around. Other franchises not on track to qualify for the playoffs figure to give the Raiders plenty of competition in that department, though.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is an updated look at the current draft order:

Jacksonville Jaguars: 2-9
New York Giants: 2-9
Las Vegas Raiders: 2-9
New England Patriots: 3-9
Carolina Panthers: 3-8
Tennessee Titans: 3-8
New York Jets: 3-8
Cleveland Browns: 3-8
New Orleans Saints: 4-7
Cincinnati Bengals: 4-7
Dallas Cowboys: 4-7
Chicago Bears: 4-7
Indianapolis Colts: 5-7
Miami Dolphins: 5-6
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 5-6
Los Angeles Rams: 5-6
San Francisco 49ers: 5-6
Arizona Cardinals: 6-5
Atlanta Falcons: 6-5
Seattle Seahawks: 6-5
Washington Commanders: 7-5
Houston Texans: 7-5
Denver Broncos: 7-5
Los Angeles Chargers: 7-4
Baltimore Ravens: 8-4
Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-3
Green Bay Packers: 8-3
Minnesota Vikings: 9-2
Philadelphia Eagles: 9-2
Buffalo Bills: 9-2
Kansas City Chiefs: 10-1
Detroit Lions: 10-1

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/23/24

November 23rd, 2024 at 7:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves, including gameday elevations for Week 12:

Arizona Cardinals

Elevated: S Andre Chachere

Chicago Bears

Elevated: DB Adrian Colbert

Denver Broncos

Elevated: LB Zach Cunningham, OL Nick Gargiulo

Houston Texans

Elevated: DL Tommy Togiai

Kansas City Chiefs

Elevated: LB Cole Christiansen

Las Vegas Raiders

Elevated: CB Kyu Blu Kelly, RB Sincere McCormick

Los Angeles Rams

Elevated: DB Cam Lampkin, DE Jonah Williams

Miami Dolphins

Elevated: LS Tucker Addington, T Jackson Carman

Minnesota Vikings

Activated from IR: TE Nick Muse
Elevated: LS Jake McQuaide

New England Patriots

Elevated: LB Keshawn Banks, TE Jack Westover

San Francisco 49ers

Signed to active roster: S Tashaun Gipson
Placed on IR: LB Tatum Bethune
Elevated: LB Jalen Graham, CB Nick McCloud

Seattle Seahawks

Elevated: TE Tyler Mabry, LB Patrick O’Connell

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Elevated: LB Vi Jones
Waived: LB Antonio Grier

Tennessee Titans

Placed on IR: CB L’Jarius Sneed (story)
Elevated: S Daryl Worley

Washington Commanders

Activated from IR: DE Javontae Jean-Baptiste
Waived: RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Lions OC Ben Johnson Will Remain Highly Selective With HC Opportunities

November 21st, 2024 at 10:35am CST by Rory Parks

NOVEMBER 21: Johnson is not eyeing the “perfect” opportunity with respect to a head coaching position, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero writes, but to little surprise alignment with the front office and the chance of long-term success will be crucial in his evaluation of his 2025 opportunities. Remaining with the Lions through another hiring cycle certainly remains a distinct possibility in Johnson’s case at this point, although plenty of changes in the HC landscape can take place between now and the offseason.

NOVEMBER 17: Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has been one of the hottest names in each of the past two coaching cycles, though he ultimately pulled his name out of HC consideration in both 2023 and 2024 to remain in Detroit. To no surprise, Johnson will be “very, very selective” about his destination in the upcoming cycle, and he may elect yet again to stay in his current post, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted in a recent appearance on Get Up! (video link).

Schefter goes on to say that Johnson will not be interviewing simply for the sake of interviewing. If he agrees to a summit with the front office of any club, he will be doing so with every intention of taking that club’s HC job.

Of course, the success that Johnson has had as the Lions’ OC has afforded him the ability to be choosy about his seemingly inevitable head coaching opportunity. Since his ascension to the top spot on the offensive coaching staff in 2022, Detroit has posted a 29-14 regular season mark and made it to the brink of a Super Bowl appearance, and quarterback Jared Goff has revitalized his career. Over the 2022-23 seasons, the Lions finished in the top-five in terms of both total offense and points scored, and the 2024 version of the team currently sits sixth in total yards and second in points per game.

Johnson’s patience with this process is best exemplified by the fact that the Commanders’ HC job was reportedly his for the taking earlier this year, and it was a desirable position. After all, Washington is under new ownership, had just hired a well-respected general manager in Adam Peters, and had considerable salary cap space and draft capital to work with. That included the No. 2 overall pick of the 2024 draft, which gave the team a clear chance to select its franchise quarterback (which it eventually did when it used the selection on impressive rookie Jayden Daniels).

Despite the benefits of the Commanders’ top job, and despite the fact that the Lions did not sweeten his contract, Johnson turned down Washington’s overtures. When discussing his decision in May, he said, “I’m not gonna do it just to do it. I love what I’m doing right now. Love it. I love where I’m at. My family loves where we’re at. Love the people that we’re doing it with, so I’m not willing to go down the other path yet, unless I feel really good about how it’s gonna unfold.”

The 38-year-old staffer further indicated that he is seeking an opportunity that presents a real chance of sustained success and, by extension, a clear route to a second contract. It is unclear exactly how he will make that determination, but Schefter does appear to suggest that the Bears will not be on Johnson’s list of top landing spots.

If Chicago moves on from current HC Matt Eberflus, the club would presumably love to poach Johnson from its division rival, and it does have the No. 1 overall pick of this year’s draft, Caleb Williams, at quarterback and a fair amount of talent on the roster. However, Schefter cites organizational dysfunction as a reason why Johnson might steer clear of the Bears.

The Jaguars are looking increasingly likely to be in the head coaching market this offseason, and like the Bears, they have a former No. 1 overall pick at quarterback (Trevor Lawrence) and talented players on both sides of the ball. Incumbent HC Doug Pederson has not been able to get Lawrence to live up to his potential, though, and while Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post hears that Jacksonville owner Shad Khan might give Johnson a blank check to come to Duval, Johnson could be leery of that gig as well.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/20/24

November 20th, 2024 at 9:30pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor NFL moves: