Bears May Already Have A Lead On Next Defensive Coordinator - James Bettcher

[Luke]

According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, there is one name already considered a favorite.


"ONE NAME TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON IS JAMES BETTCHER, THE FORMER DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR OF THE ARIZONA CARDINALS AND NEW YORK GIANTS. TWO SOURCES TOLD SAID BETTCHER DID SOME CONSULTING FOR THE BEARS THIS SEASON AFTER THE GIANTS BEING FIRED HIM A YEAR AGO.

BETTCHER WAS THE OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS COACH UNDER PAGANO WITH THE COLTS IN 2012 AND THEN WORKED UNDER DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR TODD BOWLES IN ARIZONA. BOWLES AND NAGY ARE CLOSE, SO THERE’S A TIE-IN.”

Chicago Bears Already Have A Lead On Next Defensive Coordinator

Chuck Pagano is out as defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears. While it's early, there are whispers they already have an option.

www.sportsmockery.com

 

[Angry Boomer]

Anyone that has ties to Nagy or Pagano is suspect to me.. They're both failures IMO.

 

[Rise]

Nagy has wanted to run the Bowles style ever since Fangio left. Classic Bears let’s fix what wasn’t broken cause of ego. No wonder they love him up there.

 

[Visionman]

Anyone that has ties to Nagy or Pagano is suspect to me.. They're both failures IMO.

It’s almost unheard of for ANY HC to bring in staff with knowing them personally in some fashion.

 

[Angry Boomer]

It’s almost unheard of for ANY HC to bring in staff with knowing them personally in some fashion.

Well, I'm not up to hiring anyone with ties to those 2.

If the Bears would have done the right thing and fired Nagy, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

 

[dennehy]

Anyone that has ties to Nagy or Pagano is suspect to me.. They're both failures IMO.

Like Fangio?

 

[Adipost]

I remember Bettcher’s name being thrown around for the Bears DC position in 2018 when it was uncertain Fangio would return. Here’s an excerpt from a recent article on him...

Bettcher had big plans to spend the off year visiting NFL training camps and colleges. He scheduled professional development sessions/consulting visits that were canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.


So he did the next-best thing -- a thorough self-assessment that included digging deep into the tape at the "lab" he built in his home. There he scribbled constantly on dry erase boards while consuming NFL and college film that seemed to be on an endless loop on the big-screen TV connected to his computer.

"First thing I did was sit down and just evaluate," he said. "All of us that coach, one of the most important things we always look at is that we own our tape. I can't talk to our players about taking ownership for their work or their play if I don't take ownership for the tape."

Bettcher spoke of redoing his playbook a bit, getting rid of plays the same way his wife, Erica, regularly sheds the living room of toys their young children (Colton, Addison and Brooks) outgrow. His focus was on his foundation, player development and schematics. He regularly spoke with the coaches he's closest with, such as Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians (Bettcher's former boss in Arizona) and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, and Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy and defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano. Bettcher also studied the defensive schemes of five major conference college teams.

"It's neat to see different people's ways to defend different offenses," he said.

Bettcher came to New York with an exotic 3-4 defense designed to produce pressure. His Arizona teams ranked in the NFL's top 10 in blitz percentage each of his first three seasons.

"Lives and dies by the blitz," said one personnel executive familiar with Bettcher's defenses. "You need to have good personnel, especially in the back end."

His Giants' defenses couldn't be so aggressive. They weren't especially talented on the back end, finishing the 2019 season with cornerbacks DeAndre Baker, Corey Ballentine, Sam Beal, Grant Haley and Antonio Hamilton -- none of whom played much for any team this season. It was an aggressive coach with misfit toys, and his defenses with the Giants ranked 16th and 19th, respectively, in blitz percentage, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

There is belief from the executive and some of Bettcher's former players he can still be the fast-rising assistant he was before coming to New York.

"Absolutely, yes. Especially if he can get his style of football players. His style of [defensive backs] specifically or his style of pass-rushers to go along with his coaches that can explain exactly what he is trying to do," said safety Michael Thomas, now with the Houston Texansafter two years with the Giants. "I think Bettch can definitely be a top DC in this league."

Former New York Giants D-coordinator James Bettcher hungry for next chance

 

[TL1961]

According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, there is one name already considered a favorite.


"ONE NAME TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON IS JAMES BETTCHER, THE FORMER DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR OF THE ARIZONA CARDINALS AND NEW YORK GIANTS. TWO SOURCES TOLD SAID BETTCHER DID SOME CONSULTING FOR THE BEARS THIS SEASON AFTER THE GIANTS BEING FIRED HIM A YEAR AGO.

BETTCHER WAS THE OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS COACH UNDER PAGANO WITH THE COLTS IN 2012 AND THEN WORKED UNDER DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR TODD BOWLES IN ARIZONA. BOWLES AND NAGY ARE CLOSE, SO THERE’S A TIE-IN.”

Chicago Bears Already Have A Lead On Next Defensive Coordinator

Chuck Pagano is out as defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears. While it's early, there are whispers they already have an option.

www.sportsmockery.com

Fired a year ago and learned from the guy the Bears just "retired". Sounds great.

 

[Adipost]

Fired a year ago and learned from the guy the Bears just "retired". Sounds great.

I mean, he was only in Indy the season Pagano had to take a leave of absence. He left with Arians the following year. So it’s more like learned from Todd Bowles.

 

[Kaufman20Embalm]

Bettcher would bring the exact polar opposite style of play to our defense then we have seen recently. He is very blitz heavy. I would actually welcome the aggressiveness. I will admit that I am a little biased though. Bettcher got his start coaching the local NAIA school in my area and coached a couple of my friends. I would consider him much more from the Arians coaching tree rather than Paganos.

 

[dennehy]

He's a really good fit for the Bears' personnel imo.

 

[fridges fatboys]

Bettcher would bring the exact polar opposite style of play to our defense then we have seen recently. He is very blitz heavy. I would actually welcome the aggressiveness. I will admit that I am a little biased though. Bettcher got his start coaching the local NAIA school in my area and coached a couple of my friends. I would consider him much more from the Arians coaching tree rather than Paganos.

I totally agree. I live in Arizona where he used to coach. Both Bowles and Bettcher are aggressive and will bring blitzes from all over the place. Just like Bruce Arians used to say no risk it no biscuit. Much better hitting Rogers and taking chances than just letting him slowly pick apart your defense.

 

[Raskolnikov]

He's a really good fit for the Bears' personnel imo.

And sounds like the defensive version of Nagy.

They will not speak, they will only communicate passing back and forth a matrix of X's and O's. 2 autistic psychopaths, consumed by football speak. They should make Peyton Manning a consultant, but those would be some boring conference calls.

 

[Toast88]

Fired by the Giants. What could go wrong?

 

[dabears70]

Should Bears bring back an old Bear for the DC job?

An Old Friend Could Fill Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator Void

Sometimes when the Chicago Bears need a solution at defensive coordinator, they seek a familiar face. Here's one to consider.

www.sportsmockery.com

 

[zabavka]

Should Bears bring back an old Bear for the DC job?

An Old Friend Could Fill Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator Void

Sometimes when the Chicago Bears need a solution at defensive coordinator, they seek a familiar face. Here's one to consider.

www.sportsmockery.com

Might as well bring back Lovie.

 

[fx1718]

Might as well bring back Lovie.

Nagy couldn't handle that pressure.

 

[dabears70]

Might as well bring back Lovie.

Hell no. C.Harris has actually been good wherever he's gone. Might be a good guy to at least interview.

 

[legendxofxlink]

Bettchers ‘19 Giants - 30th in points and 25 in yards
Bettcherless ‘20 Giants - 9th in points and 12 in yards

....no

 

[fx1718]

Bettchers ‘19 Giants - 30th in points and 25 in yards
Bettcherless ‘20 Giants - 9th in points and 12 in yards

....no

Sounds like the Rams with and without Wade Phillips.