Bears zeroing in on Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator

The Chicago Bears have a new head coach as they're set to hire Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, and he reportedly has a former NFL head coach in mind for his defensive coordinator. According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen is the leading candidate to get the job.

Allen's time with the Saints ended poorly as he was fired following a 2-7 start during the 2024 season, but he excelled when he was the team's defensive coordinator. Prior to becoming the head coach, Allen was the Saints defensive coordinator from 2015 to 2021, building a unit that saw improvement year over year. During Allen's final two seasons as defensive coordinator, the Saints finished with a top-five defense while developing stars such as Cameron Jordan, Marshon Lattimore, and Trey Hendrickson.

Should Johnson wind up bringing on Allen, it would also give him someone on staff with previous head coaching experience. Allen's career record with the Saints and Oakland Raiders isn't impressive, going 26-53 in five and a half seasons, but he knows what the job takes, and it provides Johnson with experience. We'll see if Allen ultimately lands the job.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears zeroing in on Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator