HEADLINES

Glenn Pires

North Notes: Bears, Steelers, Browns

January 16th, 2019 at 8:04pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bears intend to bring in competition for much-maligned kicker Cody Parkey, according to general manager Ryan Pace (Twitter link via Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune). “We need more production out of that position,” said Pace. “It will be an emphasis of focus for us.” Parkey, of course, had a game-winning kick blocked in the final seconds of Chicago’s Wild Card round loss to the Eagles, but his results during the regular season were also unspectacular. Signed to a four-year, $15MM contract last March, Parkey proceeded to finish third-to-last in the NFL with a 76.7% field goal conversion rate. Football Outsiders‘ special teams metrics, meanwhile, ranked the Bears 29th in field goals and extra points. Chicago, which handed Parkey $9MM in full guarantees, would incur more than $5MM in dead money by cutting the 26-year-old.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • Bengals head coach-to-be Zac Taylor is “very interested” in having Redskins offensive line coach Bill Callahan join his new staff in Cincinnati, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). The only problem? Callahan is still under contract in Washington, so the Redskins would need to permit the move. The Bengals parted ways with OL coach Frank Pollack earlier this week, so they’re looking for a new coach to lead their front five. Taylor played quarterback under Callahan at Nebraska, so the two certainly have a familiarity.
  • The Steelers have hired North Carolina State tight ends/fullbacks/special teams coach Eddie Faulkner as their new running backs coach, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Faulkner coached current Steelers running back Jaylen Samuels as recently as 2017, and he’ll now have the opportunity to lead both Samuels and James Conner next season. He’ll replace James Saxon, who left to take the same position with the Cardinals.
  • After losing former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to the Broncos, the Bears are overhauling their defensive staff under new play-caller Chuck Pagano. Safeties coach Roy Anderson and linebackers coach Glenn Pires will not be retained, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune and Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter links). Pagano surely wants to formulate his own staff, but Anderson had worked with Pagano in both Baltimore and Indianapolis, so his departure is relatively surprising.
  • Broncos’ offensive tackles coach Chris Strausser is generating interest from the Browns, tweets Mike Klis of 9News. Strausser, who handled Denver’s tackles while Sean Kugler (who recently left for the Cardinals) managed the club’s interior offensive line, is likely being allowed to pursue other opportunities now that Fangio is in place. Cleveland recently hired ex-Packers offensive line coach James Campen for the same role.

NFC North Notes: Vikings, Packers, Bears

January 17th, 2018 at 9:01pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Vikings safety Andrew Sendejo left Sunday’s Divisional Round game after taking a hit to the head, and while he remains in the concussion protocol, he was able to perform limited individual work during Wednesday’s practice, tweets Lindsay Jones of USA Today. While there’s no definitive word on Sendejo’s status, the mere fact that he was able to participate in practice should be a positive sign as Minnesota prepares to face Philadelphia in the NFC Championship Game. If Sendejo can’t go, fellow defensive back Jayron Kearse — who played 60% of the Vikings’ defensive snaps following Sendejo’s injury — would see more action.

Let’s take a quick spin around the NFC North:

  • Colts defensive line coach Gary Emanuel has interviewed for the same position with the Packers, according to Alex Marvez of the Sporting News (Twitter link). Emanuel is currently in limbo given that Indianapolis is expected to hire head coach Josh McDaniels and defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, so he’s taking meetings in the interim. After spending six seasons with the Colts, Emanuel would replace Mike Trgovac as Green Bay’s defensive line coach. Trgovac was fired earlier this month as part of a Packers house-cleaning that also included the termination of defensive coordinator Dom Capers.
  • The Bears are expected to hire Shane Toub as an offensive quality control coach, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes. Toub, the son of Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub, had been working as a graduate assistant at the University of Illinois. Additionally, Chicago has also decided to retain linebackers coach Glenn Pires and assistant defensive backs coach Roy Anderson, sources tell Marvez (Twitter link).
  • In case you missed it, the Bears may have interest in adding former Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell to their offensive staff. Bevell isn’t the only ex-play-caller in contention for a role with Chicago, as former Raiders OC Todd Downing is also interviewing with the club.

Bears Add Three To Coaching Staff

January 24th, 2015 at 4:45pm CST by Rob DiRe

SATURDAY, 5:58pm: In addition to Loggains and Pires, the Bears have now hired Bo Hardegree to their coaching staff, reports Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (via Twitter). Hardegree will join Gase and Loggains as an offensive assistant. He formerly coached with Fox on the Broncos staff in 2014 as a quality control coach.

FRIDAY, 9:09pm: John Fox promised he was giving his full energy to filling out his staff, and he seems to be coming through on his word.

The Bears have hired Dowell Loggains as their new quarterbacks coach and Glenn Pires as their new linebackers coach, reports Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (via Twitter).

Loggains was the quarterbacks coach with the Browns, and formerly served as the quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator for the Titans under Jeff Fisher and offensive coordinator under Mike Munchak.

Pires was the linebackers coach with the Falcons for seven years before coming to the Bears.

Loggains and Pires join Adam Gase and Vic Fangio, who were hired as the offensive and defensive coordinators for the team earlier this week.