Chuck Pagano has gone from rumored candidate for the Chicago Bears’ vacant defensive coordinator position to interviewee.
Sources have informed Brad Biggs and Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune that Pagano is meeting with the Bears on Friday (that’s today!) for the gig vacated by Vic Fangio, who officially became the Denver Broncos’ head coach on Thursday. Pagano could be the Bears’ top target in this race to fill this role and the Bears might need to move quickly in this game of musical chairs.
Pagano would mark the second candidate brought in for this highly attractive job. The Bears have already interviewed Defensive Backs Coach Ed Donatell for the position, but if the team decides to hire from outside the walls at Halas Hall, they could be in search of someone to coach the secondary. Donatell’s contract is expiring and he could join Vic Fangio in Denver if he isn’t promoted to Defensive Coordinator. Fangio and Donatell have coached together side 2011 and the belief is the Bears’ DBs Coach could take his talents to the Broncos where he could become Fangio’s DC. Should the Bears enter the market for someone to coach defensive backs, Donatell’s assistant Roy Anderson would be a logical choice to move up the coaching ladder.
It’s a rapidly spinning world out there and defensive coordinators are reportedly being scooped up left and right. The Arizona Cardinals announced Vance Joseph as their DC on Kliff Kingsbury’s staff. Gregg Williams (whose candidacy we explored yesterday) is expected to join the New York Jets as their defensive coordinator, where he’ll work under old friend Adam Gase. And if you were hoping Mike Pettine could be a candidate to jump ship and leave Green Bay, new Head Coach Matt LaFleur has confirmed Pettine’s return to the Packers.