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Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus is potentially looking to poach one of the Green Bay Packers’ top defensive coaches for his own staff in 2023.
According to NFL insider Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the Bears have requested permission to interview Packers defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator Jerry Gray for an “as-yet-undefined defensive coaching position” on Eberflus’ staff.
Chicago is currently in need of a new defensive backs coach after former assistant James Rowe left the position in early January to accept a role at South Florida, but Gray is a veteran NFL coach with more than two decades of experience on his resume and might only be interested in leaving Green Bay if the Bears offer him a more prominent role on their staff, such as defensive coordinator or associate head coach.
Teams are no longer allowed to block their positions coaches from interviewing for coordinator positions, thanks to NFL rule changes that passed in 2020, but it is unclear whether Gray’s title of “passing game coordinator” would allow the Packers to shut down the Bears’ interest in interviewing him. The Bears might also be able to work around that restriction if they offer Gray an associate head coaching title.
There have been no reports indicating that Gray has interviewed with the Bears yet.
Gray Contended for Packers’ Coordinator Job in 2021
Gray has done impressive work with the defensive backs in Green Bay over the past three seasons. He has played a key role in developing Jaire Alexander and helped him achieve second-team All-Pro status in both 2020 and 2022. He also took a practice-squad castaway in Rasul Douglas and turned him into a viable replacement starter in 2021 after Alexander suffered a season-ending shoulder injury early in the year.
It would be understandable, though, if Gray had eyes on leaving Green Bay in the near future considering he was passed over for his best shot at a real promotion in 2021. After the Packers dismissed Mike Pettine in the 2021 offseason, they opted to hire Joe Barry as his replacement instead of Gray after interviewing both of them for the job. Gray did receive a title bump to “passing game coordinator,” but he hasn’t held a defensive coordinator job since 2013 and could be getting restless in his pursuit.
From Chicago’s perspective, there would be a lot to gain from adding someone of Gray’s level of expertise to their staff for the 2023 season. A well-respective veteran coach could be invaluable to the fast-tracked development of some of the Bears’ promising young defensive backs, such as Jaylon Johnson and Jaquan Brisker. He could also be a strong advisor and confidant for Eberflus in his second year as head coach.
Will Bears Replace Alan Williams as DC for 2023?
Eberflus’ interest in Gray also raises another question about his staff for 2023: Are the Bears truly content with Alan Williams as his defensive coordinator and play-caller?
Williams was shaky at best in his first year as an NFL defensive coordinator in 2022. The Bears were one of the most ineffective units in the league at stopping the run, giving up the second-most rushing yards (2,674) and most rushing touchdowns (31). They also struggled to consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks or generate takeaways. While there is something to be said about the lack of talent on Chicago’s roster, a big portion of the blame for those poor numbers falls squarely on Williams’ shoulders.
Now, Eberflus might just decide to give Williams the benefit of the doubt and keep him in the same role for the 2023 season. If Gray impressed him enough in the interview, though, perhaps he would be willing to hire Gray in an associate head coaching role that would come with defensive play-calling responsibilities, allowing Williams to focus more on the scheme and the big-picture duties of a defensive coordinator.
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