Bears’ big changes this offseason will come on the roster, not the coaching staff

The Chicago Bears aren’t making many changes to their coaching staff despite a 3-13 finish to the 2016 season. The team will retain defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, and head coach John Fox’s job is also safe.

Following a 3-13 season, the Bears needed to make changes, and two longtime Fox assistants have been terminated, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Chicago fired offensive line coach Dave Magazu, who had worked with Fox since the 2003 season with the Carolina Panthers and was Fox’s longest-tenured assistant coach. Assistant defensive backs coach Sam Garnes, who had worked with Fox in Carolina and for four seasons in Denver, was also released.

The other major change to the Bears’ coaching staff wasn’t Chicago’s choice. Running backs coach Stan Drayton, who helped rookie Jordan Howard break the Bears’ all-time rookie rushing record with a 1,313-yard season, is headed to the University of Texas to be the associate head coach and running backs coach under new head coach Tom Herman.

Howard’s season was one bright spot in a pretty dismal year for Chicago’s offense. They were decimated by injuries to key players, including Jay Cutler, guard Josh Sitton, and tight end Zach Miller. The Bears finished the year with middling rankings for yards per game through the air and on the ground, but they had difficulty getting into the end zone. Chicago was 28th in the NFL this season for points per game with 17.4.

On defense, the Bears gave up a lot of yards on the ground this season, and their front seven didn’t do a great job of clogging up rushing lanes.

It was a disappointing season in Chicago, but despite the team’s decision to make minimal changes to the coaching staff, Fox insists things will turn around next season.

Instead of the coaching staff, the Bears will likely opt to make major changes to the roster.

Quarterback was a liability last season, due in part to two separate injuries that sidelined Cutler for much of the year. Backup Brian Hoyer broke his arm during a Week 7 loss to the Packers, forcing the Bears to work with third-string quarterback Matt Barkley behind center for much of the season.

Bears general manager Ryan Pace said in his end-of-the-season press conference Wednesday that “everything is on the table” as the team explores its options at quarterback next season, according to the Chicago Tribune’s Rich Campbell. It could be the end of Cutler’s time in Chicago.

Pace also noted a need to add playmakers in the team’s secondary after the Bears finished with just 11 takeaways in 2016.

The Bears do need to make some changes to be competitive next season, but those changes are, for the most part, not going to be to the coaching staff.