If Bears Chairman George McCaskey has the slightest inkling 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh might have interest in reviving the team that drafted him in 1987, he needs to fire Marc Trestman first thing Monday morning.
Delaying the inevitable until the regular season ends risks losing Harbaugh, a remote possibility who ESPN reported Friday wants to see what head-coaching opportunities become available before deciding his future. Just in case, the Bears must force Harbaugh -- the Bears' version of Cubs manager Joe Maddon -- at least to consider what winning a Super Bowl in Chicago and bringing his football career full circle would do to his legacy. Consider that Plan A at Halas Hall.
Even without Harbaugh, any Bears' rebuilding plan should include moving on without General Manager Phil Emery, who aligned himself with Trestman the day he hired him in January 2013. If one goes, both must go. Emery took over in 2012 with Lovie Smith in place, and former Bears GM Jerry Angelo inherited Dick Jauron in 2001. In both cases, not having a general manager and head coach in sync philosophically and on the same contract clock complicated matters. The Bears can't afford any more wasted seasons.
If Harbaugh chooses to go elsewhere as expected -- Michigan, the Raiders or Dolphins -- the Bears always can regroup and call Bill Polian for advice. Of all the men qualified for a role as consultant or czar -- Mike Holmgren or Tony Dungy fit too -- the architect of the 1990s Bills and Peyton Manning-era Colts makes the most sense. The McCaskeys consider Polian, 72, a longtime friend, and he remains plugged into the league as a TV and radio analyst. His assertive personality guarantees he would provide the frank and honest assessment the Bears organization needs.
A football guy like Polian also could oversee the hiring of an executive search firm to hire the next general manager. Those firms know the brightest available football executives better than anybody still on the Bears payroll Jan. 1. This search for a GM and coach cannot carry the experimental feel previous ones did. The Bears' next head coach should have NFL head-coaching experience, period. The next GM should have a pedigree from winning organizations.
Perhaps McCaskey should consider asking the fans for patience, a la Theo Epstein, and truly commit to rebuilding through the draft like the Bears never have tried. The next general manager should provide a blueprint similar to what works for the Seahawks and Ravens, two tough-minded, draft-driven teams built around defense and special teams. May the days of the Bears building everything around overpaid quarterbacks and wide receivers be over.
Because landing Harbaugh would cost high draft picks the Bears covet, that makes picking the right GM more imperative. Eagles vice president of player personnel Tom Gamble, who scouted for Polian with the Colts from 1998-2004, tops any list of potential GM candidates. Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio, who declined the Dolphins GM job last year, figures to attract attention too. Highly respected Eric DeCosta, the Ravens' assistant general manager and heir apparent to Ozzie Newsome, interviewed with the Bears in 2012 and would be worth tempting again if the job opens.
As for the possible head-coaching vacancy, the Bears can look no further than the opposite sideline Sunday for clues. The Lions arrive 10-4 under Coach Jim Caldwell, who's better in his second stint as head coach than he was with the Colts. The Bears never have hired a head coach with experience, which represents the best reason to change course. Going the hot coordinator and offensive guru route guarantees nothing but double-talk.
A coach such as Rex Ryan of the Jets should pique curiosity. Ryan, hardly the perfect candidate, immediately would instill what the Bears lack under Trestman: an identity built around defense, toughness and bravado. He talks about football the way they do at the Grabowski Christmas dinner. The Bears culture lacks what Ryan exudes.
Gary Kubiak, the Ravens' offensive coordinator, went 63-66 in eight seasons with the Texans and fits the profile of a coach like Caldwell who improves on the second go-round. So does Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, 69-73 in nine seasons coaching the Jaguars. Brian Billick, whose Super Bowl ring creates instant credibility, should be asked to re-evaluate how much he likes broadcasting. Mike Shanahan, 62, who has won two Super Bowls and grew up in Franklin Park, would warrant a conversation about the job whether quarterback Jay Cutler stays or goes.
Whoever it is, the McCaskeys must stop hiring experiments and start valuing experience. They need a GM and coach more interested in restoring accountability in the locker room than reinventing the wheel in the film room. They must demand results, not tolerate empty rhetoric.
The Bears aren't a family store anymore as much as a $1.7 billion corporation and should be run like one -- as early as Monday morning.
Sports on 12/21/2014