ESPN's Dan Orlovsky offers compelling reasons why Mike McCarthy is great fit for Bears, Caleb Williams

The Chicago Bears head coaching search took another interesting turn with their in-person interview with former Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, who ESPN's Dan Orlovsky thinks is a great fit for Caleb Williams.
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The Chicago Bears' head coaching search entered a whole new level on Wednesday when former Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy was in town for an in-person interview.

And he flew in on a private jet.

It's high-class treatment for a coach who certainly ranks high on general manager Ryan Poles' wish list, which unfortunately has grown as large as a shopaholic's on Amazon.

Regardless, McCarthy is a very real candidate to land the Bears job, and that's good news. Sure, Bears fans are hoping for the shiny new coordinator-turned-head coach in Ben Johnson, but can Chicago really afford to take a chance on a first-time head coach with such a critical window of Caleb Williams' development on the horizon?

I'd argue they can't. I know, that's an unpopular take. But it's one that has to be seriously considered.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) and head coach Mike McCarthy
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McCarthy isn't a sexy pick. He's more of a re-tread than a headline-grabbing superstar. But the Bears don't need sexy. They need a guy who can build a winning program and develop a franchise quarterback. You don't have to scan McCarthy's coaching resume very long to know he's that guy.

ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky drove this point home during a recent segment on NFL Live. He made some great points, and that pains me to say. I'm not a huge Orlovsky guy, but I have to give credit where credit is due.

Check it out:

I love Orlovksy's point about McCarthy turning Williams' question marks into exclamation points. It paints a great picture of what the next Bears coach must do; they must make Williams a confident decision-maker who can allow his incredible natural talent to take over after he understands all the nuances of pro quarterbacking.

We saw glimpses during Caleb Williams' rookie season of how sensational he can be. But those glimpses must turn into consistent week-over-week production. Mike McCarthy turned Aaron Rodgers into that guy. He flipped Dak Prescott from a good starting quarterback to one of the NFL's most prolific passers. He can have the same impact on Williams.

At the end of the day, that's what matters most. If Poles and the Chicago Bears want what's best for the organization, they'll hire the coach who's best for Williams. Maybe that is Ben Johnson. But they won't be 'settling' if they hire McCarthy. Instead, he'd represent a massive step forward for an organization stuck in reverse.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.