Changes were coming to the Chicago Bears’ offensive coaching staff after a woeful 2019 season, and now we know that Matt Nagy’s coaching staff will have a fresh look to it.
Here’s the latest from ESPN’s Adam Schefter:
Big changes to Bears coaching staff: former Jaguars’ OC John DeFilippo is being hired as their QB coach, QB coach Dave Ragone is being promoted to passing game coordinator, and Bill Lazor is being hired as OC, per league source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 15, 2020
Significant changes are coming to Nagy’s coaching staff. Because in addition to the hiring of Bill Lazor as the offensive coordinator, the Bears are bringing in John DeFilippo as the team’s new quarterbacks coach. You might be familiar with DeFilippo from when he was a candidate to replace John Fox as head coach. Three years after interviewing for that position, DeFilippo lands in Chicago under Nagy’s wing. That feels like a win to now have two of the more highly acclaimed quarterbacking minds in the same coaches room.
DeFilippo, who spent last year as the Jaguars’ QBs Coach, replaces Dave Ragone (who had been in the position since Fox was the coach). But Ragone isn’t going anywhere, as Schefter reports the former QBs Coach earned a promotion to Passing Game Coordinator. Clearly, the Bears like what Ragone brings to the table enough to bump him up with a new title — and a different set of responsibilities. With the addition of DeFilippo and Lazor, the Bears now have four offensive minds with an expansive history when it comes to developing quarterbacks.
We’ll have more on the Bears’ coaching shuffle as details present themselves. But for now, these changes feel like a step in the right direction after things went south quickly last season.