Breer weighs in on two quarterback gurus to coach Bears originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
After many seasons of craving a franchise quarterback, frustrated Bears fans finally got their wish with Justin Fields. It’s clear that Fields has NFL talent, however, he needs a leader to bring out his true potential and help him learn from his rookie mistakes.
The frustration continues to grow with fans, but it is now centered around the head coaching position with many “Fire Nagy” chants heard throughout Chicago.
The Bears have never fired a coach midseason, and a recent NFL rule now allows teams to hold interviews for vacant head coaching positions over the last two weeks of the regular season. If Nagy gets the boot, the team could see a fresh face with a headset sooner rather than later.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer appeared on The Herd with Colin Cowherd on Wednesday saying he believes the Bears will rebuild in the offseason and assumes Nagy will be gone. He said there are two quarterback gurus the Bears should be looking at to take over Nagy’s position.
“You got a young quarterback, bring in an offensive guy to develop him,” Breer said. “Do you hold onto the general manager Ryan Pace if he convinces you that he can land Sean Payton? I think that’s one name to just sort of keep an eye on.”
Breer isn’t sure if Payton, head coach of the New Orleans Saints, would want to leave his team, but he thinks Payton and New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels are two great candidates to replace Nagy and further Fields’ development. McDaniels previously interviewed for the head coaching position with the Bears in 2018.
Payton was raised in Naperville and played with the Bears in 1987. He has a good relationship with Pace who worked in the Saints’ front office for 14 years before becoming the general manager of the Bears in 2015. Payton was hired by the Saints in 2006 when the team signed free agent quarterback Drew Brees. Together, the duo built one of the greatest offenses in the NFL over 15 seasons. In 2010, the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV.
McDaniels also has a high-end résumé in quarterback development, according to a mailbag Breer wrote earlier this month. McDaniels took a hard look at Fields last year predraft, but the Patriots ultimately decided on drafting quarterback Mac Jones who is having a stellar rookie season.
With Nagy currently on the chopping block, Breer talked about whether or not Pace can survive with the Bears on The Rich Eisen Show earlier this week.
“… Ryan Pace is sort of twisting in the wind to some degree,” he said. “I’ve heard some people say that he could survive. I’ve heard other people say they think he’s gone.
“Is it possible that Ryan could sell Bears ownership on ‘I can deliver Sean Payton and I can give you Sean Payton to help develop Justin Fields?’ “, he said. “Maybe something like that saves Ryan Pace, but I think one way or the other there’s going to be a coaching change and it’s quite possible that whether or not Ryan Pace survives maybe depends on what Ryan Pace can pitch ownership as the next phase of where the Bears are going.”
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