Chicago Bears: Dan Quinn Would Be the Right Hire as New Head Coach
Published by Michael Bacos on January 2, 2015
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears need a ton of help on defense, and Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn could be the savior to fix it.
The Bears may be awful at all three facets of the game, but where they need help the most is on defense. The team ranks 30th in the league in overall defense this season. Quinn would come to Chicago with experience in organizing the top defense in the league in 2014 and, of course, a Super Bowl ring.
While everyone is talking about Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, Quinn would be a better fit in the Windy City because of his use of the 4-3 in Seattle. This is in contrast to the 3-4 system Bowles uses in Arizona. Sure, the transition to the 4-3 to the 3-4 is possible, as Pittsburgh demonstrated in the ’80s.
However, with Jared Allen receiving $12.5 million next season, the Chicago Tribune‘s Brad Biggs (subscription required) feels that Allen may not be a great fit for a 3-4. He does not have the pass coverage ability that is necessary to be an outside linebacker or the size to be a regular defensive end in a 3-4 scheme.
Allen himself would not feel comfortable in that system as well, as he stated to Judd Zuglad of 1500 ESPN before leaving Minnesota.
Shea McClellin would benefit from the arrival of Quinn. He has failed to produce since being the Bears’ first-round pick in 2012 and is currently seen as the failure of now-departed general manager Phil Emery.
However, McClellin wasn’t the Bears’ target that year. According to Biggs (h/t SB Nation), it was Bruce Irvin, who was picked ahead of the Bears by the Seahawks. Quinn took Irvin and moved him from being a pass-rushing defensive end to an outside linebacker. The move may have not padded Irvin’s stats, but his athleticism makes him a key playmaker in the Seattle defense by setting the edge, as noted by Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times‘ Adam Jahns, Bears defensive coordinator Mel Tucker pointed out after McClellin’s hand injury, “He’s solid against the run and he’s athletic.”
Despite Tucker being vilified by Chicago sports fans, he may be onto something. The Bears finally did make the move to put McClellin in the outside linebacker spot. With the success that Irvin had under Quinn in Seattle, Quinn may be the guy to be able to bring out and utilize McClellin’s abilities as well.
Bringing out players’ talents is what Quinn does best.
“He’s not married to a scheme; he wants you to grow. He changes with the players,” said Seahawks defensive tackle Michael Bennett, per Sports Illustrated’s Robert Klemko.
He came to Seattle from Tampa Bay as a free agent in 2013, where he flourished under Quinn. Bennett was also moved into a position Quinn felt he was better suited for, from defensive end to tackle, and he got 8.5 sacks in 2013.
If Quinn could do what he did to the Seattle defense in Chicago, he would help the Bears defense finally find its identity. He could turn players who are struggling to find out where they belong into the confident playmakers the Bears desperately need.
The Bears may be struggling on offense, but there is no point in having an offense that can score 30 points per game when the defense is liable to give up 40-plus points to a team like the Packers twice a year.
The Bears have the arduous task of finding a GM and a head coach after one of the most embarrassing seasons in their history. The days of the Monsters of the Midway seem like eons ago under the Marc Trestman regime. Dan Quinn could be the guy to bring it back.
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