Ranking the NFL head-coaching vacancies
By John Buhler
Scouting Report. NFC. North. Chicago Bears. player. 57. Pick Analysis. 4
The Chicago Bears have Justin Fields, but caveat emptor for the next head coach
The biggest thing the Chicago Bears have going for them is they have a promising quarterback in Justin Fields coming off his so-so rookie season. Because they traded up to get him, Chicago does not own its first-round pick, as that belongs to the New York Giants. Given the never-ending chaos in the front office and ownership being as old-school as they come, this job is not for everyone.
To say the right head coach can work in Chicago is putting it way too favorably. It takes a special head coach to win in Chicago. Defensive-minded head coaches or those that embrace run-centric offenses tend to have the longest staying power. However, nobody lasts for long leading the Bears because of this one reason: They never have the quarterback right. But what about Fields, though?
Pick Analysis. Minnesota Vikings. 3. player. 60. Scouting Report. NFC. North
It will be a clean slate with the Minnesota Vikings, but this team needs to rebuild
It finally happened, as the Minnesota Vikings were the first team to make a move on Black Monday. They fired long-time head coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman. This team was never able to recapture the magic of the 2017 season that saw the Vikings get one win away from a Super Bowl berth. Now they have to accept that they are rebuilding in the 2020s.
While Minnesota has great ownership and a passionate fanbase, the Vikings play in the same division as the Green Bay Packers and are a year behind on the Detroit Lions’ rebuild. 2022 will be the last year Kirk Cousins is under contract, but this is not the draft class to reach on a quarterback prospect. Good coaches have a history of winning here, but expect a bumpy ride at least initially.
With these two jobs, it is all about how a head-coaching candidate views the starting quarterback.