Bear Digest

DeMarcus Walker on Mike Vrabel: 'Discipline Will Be Laid Right Down'

The Bears interview list is forming and one reported candidate caught the eye of the Bears defensive end, while Ben Johnson has Caleb Williams' eye.

Gene Chamberlain

Mike Vrabel works at Browns training camp as an advisor in August of 2024.
Mike Vrabel works at Browns training camp as an advisor in August of 2024. / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
In this story:

The list is forming for Bears interviews but one name in particular stirred attention at Halas Hall as players cleaned out their lockers.

This would be former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel, who reportedly will talk to the Bears and other teams.

Walker played for Vrabel in the 2022 season with the Titans.

"I tell you what, a lot of bull(bleep) is going to get cut out," Walker said. "I'm sorry, but that's the truth, though.

"I feel like discipline will be laid right down from the first day. A lot of those small things that we have done and gotten away with, that won’t happen. That's just from my personal experience."

Walker said the goal should be to hire a coach who is a dominant personality, one who holds players accountable.

"The skill set that you have, why not maximize everything?" Walker said. "You don’t want to leave no doubt behind of, 'Oh, if I could’ve done this a little bit more, we could've done this.

"Right now, you want to bring in a guy who's going to leave no doubt."

Many of the Bears veterans have complained about how there was no accountability under Matt Eberflus, and the Hail Mary pass with Tyrique Stevenson's minor punishment was a major reason this is said. Stevenson wasn't paying attention at the play's outset as he was interracting with fans, then rushed in and didn't do his assignment, causing the ball to be knocked backward for the winning TD.

The Hail Mary in Week 8 is generally recognized as the end of the Bears season and Stevenson missed a start as a result of it, but played in the next game.

"I feel like it maybe tooka few people’s souls," Walker said. "Not me. But you got to go back fighting. But yeah, that Washington game was something where it put a dagger in a lot of people."

Vrabel will have plenty of competition for the Chicago job, and the Bears will have a lot of competition for Vrabel.

Vrabel already interviewed with the New York Jets and is reported to be a coach who will interview with a team he played for, the New England Patriots.

Reports from New York said Vrabel wants to handpick his own GM or work with someone who he knows. This would seem to preclude the Bears because Ryan Poles is going forward as their GM.

Vrabel isn't the only coaching candidate the Bears will reportedly speak with this week.

SI's Albert Breer reported Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will interview with the Bears and Patriots.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported the Bears sought permission to interview Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, whose has not been extended a contract extension. But the Bears haven't received response yet from Dallas.

NFL Network reported the Bears, Saints and Jets requested permission to talk to Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, whose team just shut down the Minnesota Vikings. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network also reported the Bears will talk to Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, whose attack gave them all kinds of problems in a 29-9 loss this past season, as well as Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. GM Ryan Poles would have a great deal of information on Kafka as he was with Kansas City previously. He also is someone familiar to Chicago as a former Northwestern quarterback.

The list also includes Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, per ESPN.

Ryan Poles had confirmed on Sunday that interim coach Thomas Brown will get an interview.

Johnson remains a popular candidate because of his offensive success. His success at scoring against Minnesota Sunday night impressed Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. Williams noted how Johnson had anticipated Andrew Van Ginkel's tactics in the game plan, although Van Ginkel did very nearly have a pick-6 on a wide receiver screen.

"I'd just kind of sit back and watch and just kind of watch and try to learn something while I watch," Williams said about Johnson. "I was fascinated watching because he always, like I said, he had a great look for counters and things like that.

"You know I think he's obviously done really well so I think it would be cool to see what that would be like."

X: BearsOnSI

Published
Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.