Bears head coach search: Our favorites and who to avoid

The Chicago Bears are in the middle of their search for a new head coach, and it's already been an expansive one that's included 17 interviews (and counting). The candidates range from up-and-coming coordinators to former head coaches to college coaches.

As for what the Bears are looking for in their next head coach, general manager Ryan Poles said it's "a clear vision, a developmental mindset, really good game management and a plan to develop the quarterback."

There have been a couple of early contenders emerging, including Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, who would both be solid options to develop quarterback Caleb Williams. And now with Detroit out of the postseason, things are expected to heat up quickly.

With a head coach decision likely coming this week, we thought it would be the perfect time to offer our thoughts on the Bears' coaching search, including our favorites and those to steer clear of as this search enters the second phase.

My top candidate is...

Alyssa Barbieri: Ben Johnson. He’s the top candidate for a reason. When you look at what Johnson has done for this Lions offense – making them into a top unit in the league and turning around Jared Goff’s career – he’s the perfect guy to develop Caleb Williams. There are obviously going to be questions about his ability to lead an entire team, while also developing Williams, but Johnson is worth taking a chance on and could very well be the next Kevin O’Connell.

Brendan Sugrue: Ben Johnson. Let’s not overthink this or anything; Ben Johnson is still the top prize in this coaching carousel. It’s difficult for offensive coordinators to build a top offense in the NFL, but it’s even more difficult to sustain it. That shows how valuable Johnson is to the Lions and while some believe Aaron Glenn may be the better Lions coordinator to become a head coach, you have to take the gamble on Johnson with Caleb Williams at quarterback.

Vincent Parise: Mike McCarthy. A lot of folks are going to be against this one. Mike McCarthy has been a head coach for the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys which are not beloved franchises in Chicago. However, during his time in those places, he was incredibly successful in both the regular season and in the playoffs. He has also led the winningest seasons for both Aaron Rodgers and Dak Prescott. He would come to Chicago and stabilize the culture while also bringing some smart intel to the offense.

But I'd still be happy with...

Alyssa Barbieri: Todd Monken. Stability is the most important thing for Caleb Williams, so I’d be happy with another bright offensive mind that could come in and lead this team. Monken hails from the Chicagoland area and brings plenty of experience to the table. His most impressive work has been with quarterback Lamar Jackson, who’s on track to repeat as MVP for the second straight year under Monken, and he could very well be the backup plan should Johnson choose the Raiders or Jaguars.

Brendan Sugrue: Joe Brady. Does Josh Allen make Joe Brady look better than he actually is as an offensive coordinator? Probably, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a good option for the Bears at head coach. Brady has a good amount of experience already at just 35 years old. He played an integral role in LSU’s dominant 2019 national championship team, had flashes of success with the Panthers while making Teddy Bridgewater look better than he was, and climbed back up the ladder with the Bills when he took over for Ken Dorsey in 2023. Brady’s journey reminds me of Kyle Shanahan and I would love to see what he can do with Williams and a full team. Like Johnson, he’s a gamble, but one worth taking.

Vincent Parise: Ben Johnson or Todd Monken. Ben Johnson and Todd Monken are solid choices but there is no NFL head coaching experience to look back on. They are both very much “flavor of the day” type coordinators. The things that make them successful in their current positions are not coming with them to Chicago if hired which needs to be remembered when going through all of this. Still, their track record on offense makes them both very accomplished and deserving of an opportunity. However, it not working out would get a lot of people fired.

Steer clear of...

Alyssa Barbieri: Brian Flores. The focal point of this head coach hire should be someone who’s going to develop Caleb Williams, and that just isn’t Flores. Look no further than his last stint as head coach with the Dolphins, where he failed to get the most out of Tua Tagovailoa, who was then unlocked by an offensive genius in Mike McDaniel. Not to mention, Flores didn’t exactly leave the best impression (from a defensive standpoint) in the Vikings’ final two games of the season.

Brendan Sugrue: Arthur Smith. This was a toss-up between Arthur Smith and Brian Flores, but at least Flores had some success as a head coach and built a formidable defense in Minnesota. Arthur Smith rode Derrick Henry’s coattails to a head coaching gig with the Atlanta Falcons and went 7-10 in every season. He’s an okay offensive coordinator at best and a middling head coach. Maybe it’s unfair to him as he’s never had an elite quarterback to work with, but can he be trusted to turn Williams into one? I have my doubts. There are plenty of other candidates on both sides of the ball that should get this job before Smith.

Vincent Parise: Everyone else. One of those three has to be the guy. They can’t go in a different direction with this hire as the future of Caleb Williams depends on it. His future is the Bears future. Any other B-level candidates should be beneath them at this stage. There aren’t enough vacancies out there where they shouldn’t feel they have a chance on any of the top three. Shopping at the top of the shelf is a must for Ryan Poles.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears head coach search: Our favorites and who to avoid