Watch CBS News

Gabriel: Who's Next? Potential Bears Coaching Candidates

By Greg Gabriel--

(CBS) The Giants fired coach Ben McAdoo earlier this week and if the usual developments occur, there will be more coaching turnover to come at season's end.

The Bears, Browns, Colts and Broncos are among the teams with coaches who are on the hot seat. If change does occur -- and it seems likely here in Chicago -- here are some of the top coaching candidates to take a look at.

David Shaw, Stanford head coach

Shaw has been leading Stanford since 2011 and has had a really successful career, accumulating a 73-20 record. Unlike many college head coaches, Shaw has NFL experience. He spent nine years in the league with the Eagles, Ravens and Raiders as a quality control coach, quarterback coach and wide receiver coach. He has the reputation of being a good teacher.

As we know, many college coaches run a spread offense, but that isn't the case with Shaw, who runs a sophisticated NFL-style offense at Stanford. That would bode well if he were to leave to become an NFL coach.

Shaw's name has been mentioned as a potential NFL head coach several times in the past, and he has always turned down the offers to interview. Might this be the year he says yes? We will know that soon.

Dave Toub, Chiefs special teams coordinator

Toub has been a special teams coordinator in the NFL since 2004 and is recognized as one of the finest special teams coaches in all of football. He also has experience working with the defensive line. Being a special teams coach means he has to work with players from just about every position group on both sides of the ball and has to understand what they can do.

Toub has been on head coaching lists in the past and has gone through the interview process. This is the year that he most likely will land a gig, and there's no doubt that he will be a good head coach. John Harbaugh, Marv Levy and Mike Ditka are some examples of head coaches who previously had special teams coaching experience, so that jump has been done before.

Pete Carmichael Jr., Saints offensive coordinator

If the Bears part ways with John Fox, Carmichael most likely will be on the short list of names. Carmichael has had a professional relationship with Bears general manager Ryan Pace since their days together in New Orleans.

Carmichael has been coaching in the NFL since 2000 and has coached wide receivers, quarterbacks and coordinated the Saints offense, which is one of the best in the league in terms of scoring and yardage.  While Saints head coach Sean Payton calls the plays in New Orleans, Carmichael has experience as a play caller. When Payton was suspended in 2012, Carmichael was the team's play caller. The Saints ranked second in yardage per game and third in scoring that season.

Josh McDaniels, Patriots offensive coordinator

McDaniels' name is at the top of many lists because he has had so much success in New England. McDaniels has been coaching in the NFL since 2001 and has experience working on both sides of the ball. He has been an offensive coordinator in the league for 10 seasons and has head coaching experience, leading the Broncos in 2009 and 2010. After Denver, he was the offensive coordinator for the Rams in 2011 before going back to the Patriots in 2012.

While McDaniels' resume is strong, there are some questions. All of his success has been while working with Patriots coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. In his first stint as a head coach, he failed, and McDaniels also didn't prosper in his one-season stint with the Rams. The problem with all Belichick-tree coaches is that none have had success when they step away from Belichick.

Dennis Allen, Saints defensive coordinator

Allen is another candidate who has experience working with Pace in New Orleans. Allen has been coaching in the NFL since 2002, spending all of his time on the defensive side of the ball as a quality control coach, line coach, defensive back coach and a coordinator. He also has head coaching experience, leading the Raiders from 2012-'14, over which he compiled an 8-28 record.

Allen is highly respected and has been successful with the exception of his heading coaching stint in Oakland. While Allen may be considered a long shot for the Bears, his relationship with Pace could come into play.

Frank Reich, Eagles offensive coordinator 

Reich has played and coached in the league. He had a playing career that spanned 14 season, over which he primarily served as the backup to Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly in Buffalo. As a player, Reich has the distinction of leading the largest comeback in NFL history. In a playoff game in January 1993, he led the Bill back from a 35-3 deficit in the third quarter for a 41-38 win against the Oilers in overtime.

Reich's coaching resume isn't as long as some of the others on this list, as he didn't begin coaching until 2008 with the Colts. He has experience as a quarterback coach, wide receiver coach and offensive coordinator. Though he doesn't call plays in Philadelphia, he has experience as a play-caller in serving as the Chargers' offensive coordinator in 2014 and 2015. In the past two seasons, he has had a big role in the development of Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, who's become an MVP candidate.

Matt LaFleur, Rams offensive coordinator 

At 38, LaFleur is the youngest and least experienced of the candidates on this list. He may be one of the strongest, though. LaFleur is in his 10th season of coaching in the NFL after coaching at small schools in the college ranks.

In the NFL, LaFleur has been a quality control coach, a quarterback coach and now an offensive coordinator. He previously worked closely with both Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay in Washington and now serves as McVay's offensive coordinator with the Rams, who are tied for first in the league in points per game.

LaFLeur is highly thought of in the NFL but he has never been a play caller at this level, as McVay calls the plays for the Rams. Still, LaFleur is one of coaches who has played a significant role in the improved play of quarterback Jared Goff.

Greg Gabriel is a former NFL talent evaluator who's an on-air contributor for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @greggabe.

 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.