Tag: Dave Ragone

Report: The Bears are losing RB coach Charles London to the Falcons

The Chicago Bears are looking at replacing more than one member of Matt Nagy’s coaching staff this offseason.

The Chicago Bears are looking at replacing more than one member of Matt Nagy’s coaching staff this offseason. While the Bears are currently searching for Chuck Pagano’s replacement at defensive coordinator, Chicago is due to lose a couple of offensive coaches.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Atlanta Falcons are expected to hire Bears running backs coach Charles London. London would join new head coach Arthur Smith’s coaching staff as quarterbacks coach.

London isn’t the only coach the Falcons are taking from the Bears. Passing coordinator Dave Ragone is expected to join Atlanta as their new offensive coordinator, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

There have also been rumblings of defensive line coach Jay Rodgers leaving Chicago for the Los Angeles Chargers, where he would reunite with former Bears outside linebackers coach and new Chargers head coach Brandon Staley.

That would leave the Bears with four openings on staff, including defensive coordinator. Chicago has interviewed several candidates already, including Indianapolis Colts defensive backs coach Jonathan Gannon, former New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator James Bettcher and Bears legend Mike Singletary.

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The secret is out: Bears rookie WR Darnell Mooney is a stud

Bears rookie WR Darnell Mooney could wind up being one of the biggest steals of the NFL draft.

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While Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace has been fairly criticized for his failure to hit on first-round draft picks during his tenure, one thing he has been good at is finding late-round gems in the NFL draft.

This year’s gem is none other than fifth-round rookie receiver Darnell Mooney, who immediately made an impact upon his arrival. Without the benefit of an offseason program or sufficient training camp reps, Mooney has blossomed into one of the NFL’s young star receivers.

It didn’t take long for Mooney to climb up the depth chart, where he was the clear-cut No. 2 wideout behind Allen Robinson in Week 2. And it’s easy to see why when you see this kid’s ability to make catches and utilize his speed in a way that can be deadly for defenses.

“It’s not a secret anymore, the ability and skill-set that this young man possesses,” said Bears receivers coach Mike Furrey. “He’s obviously done enough and has proven enough that he can definitely be successful in NFL games as we get the ball in his hands.”

When it comes down to it, Mooney doesn’t feel like a rookie. He’s been playing like an experienced veteran, which starts with his preparation. That was something that impressed Bears coaches during training camp, and it’s carried over into the regular season.

“I love his ability and I love the way he approaches the game,” said Bears passing game coordinator Dave Ragone. “I made the comment [previously] that he didn’t feel like a rookie to me. Nothing has changed there.

“He just gets it, and when rookies just get it, you feel like the game is never going to be too big for him. Or the moment. Or what they’re asked to do. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do, and he can get better and better. And he knows that. It’s just great watching him grow.”

Wait, Mitchell Trubisky said what about his mechanics?

The Bears coaching staff’s inability to work with Trubisky on his mechanics is worrisome and could’ve contributed to some of his struggles.

If there’s one thing that was blatantly clear during Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky’s press conference with the media on Friday, it was that he’s got an edge heading into this important quarterback competition with Nick Foles.

The vibe was certainly one of “this is my job to lose” and “I give this team the best chance to win.” It’s a mentality Trubisky has carried with him throughout an offseason where he’s been more focused than ever and determined to prove he is the answer in Chicago.

Which has made this offseason a time for focusing on what went wrong last season and fixing it, including his mechanics. But one of the biggest bombshells that came out of Friday’s presser was that Trubisky changed his mechanics for the first time ever this offseason.

Seriously.

Every pro athlete has had to change their mechanics at some point. And considering Trubisky’s mechanics have always been a concern — even after his solid 2018 season — it’s baffling to consider that it took three whole NFL seasons for a change to be made. Especially considering former quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone, who now serves as passing game coordinator, was in charge of Trubisky’s development and failed to make a change.

Given the sense of urgency with Trubisky’s starting job and future in Chicago on the line, Trubisky made a change this offseason working with QB guru Jeff Christensen, who apparently was the first person that told Trubisky to change his mechanics. Trubisky said he feels like his motion is better, that he has more balance in the pocket and the ball is coming out more accurately.

“Hopefully the adjustments show on tape,” Trubisky said.

But the coaching staff’s inability to effectively work with Trubisky on his mechanics is worrisome and certainly could’ve contributed to some of his struggles. Perhaps that’ll change with a new face in the QB room.

One of the biggest offseason moves the Bears made was bringing in new quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, who has worked wonders with quarterbacks. Getting an experienced and proven QB coach in DeFilippo to work with Trubisky will only work wonders for the young gun. There hasn’t been a lot of on-field work amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but that should change with the start of training camp.

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5 takeaways from Bears QBs press conference

Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles took different approaches to their respective meetings with the media Friday. Here are our five takeaways.

The most anticipated position battle in the city of Chicago officially began on Friday as Bears quarterbacks Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles met with the media. Both players, who reported for training camp this week, are striving to win the starting job and with no preseason games and a truncated offseason program, every rep counts.

Trubisky and Foles took different approaches to their respective meetings. Here are my five takeaways from what we heard on Friday afternoon.

1. Trubisky and Foles set two different tones

USA Today

When listening to Trubisky and Foles answer questions from the media, you get the sense right away where each player’s mindset is at. Trubisky repeatedly stated he feels he’s the best player for the job and knows his teammates feel the same way. He’s edgier and doesn’t seem to want to be the backup. Foles, meanwhile, talked about how he felt “at home” in head coach Matt Nagy’s offense, but also said he’s willing to accept any role that’s given him as long as his team wins and that he wants to help Trubisky.

Trubisky sounds like a man who knows all the pressure is on him. Foles sounds like someone who isn’t taking the situation too seriously. Neither approach is right or wrong as everyone has their different motivations. But it’s interesting to hear the difference in how each player speaks in this situation.

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Can Nagy, Lazor, DeFilippo and Ragone kickstart Mitchell Trubisky’s development?

How many former QBs does it take to kickstart Mitch Trubisky’s development? The Bears are certainly banking on the answer being four.

How many former quarterbacks does it take to kickstart Mitchell Trubisky’s development? The Bears are certainly banking on the answer being four.

Matt Nagy did some housecleaning this offseason on his coaching staff, bringing in new offensive voices that specialize in the areas of need the Bears have.

And of course, one of those areas of need is at the quarterback position with Trubisky. Nagy brought in Bill Lazor as the new offensive coordinator and John DeFilippo as quarterbacks coach, as well as promoted former quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone to passing game coordinator. All four of those guys, Nagy included, are former quarterbacks.

The goal appears to be one final attempt to get something out of Trubisky, who is entering his fourth year amid questions of his future in Chicago. And who better to get it out of him than four guys that used to play the position?

It’s also worth noting that all four coaches are familiar with Trubisky. Obviously Nagy and Ragone, who have been working with Trubisky for two and three years, respectively. Then there’s Lazor, who told Bears All Access that years ago he’d scouted Trubisky as a high school quarterback in Mentor, Ohio.

Finally, DeFilippo should be familiar with Trubisky, considering he interviewed for the Bears head coaching job in 2018, where a big draw was how to get the best out of Trubisky like he did working as quarterbacks coach with Carson Wentz in Philadelphia, when he had his MVP-caliber season in 2017.

The former No. 2 overall selection, Trubisky’s struggles have been noted. During a season where Trubisky was supposed to take the next step in his development and in Nagy’s offense, Trubisky’s regression was the joke of the NFL.

Trubisky’s numbers dipped from 2018 to 2019, including passer rating (95.4 to 83.0), touchdowns (24 to 17), completion percentage (66.6 to 63.2) and yards per game (230.2 to 209.2).

Now, Trubisky is entering his fourth season in Chicago, and it might well be his last unless the Bears can find a way to right the ship.

While Nagy and Ragone weren’t enough to handle the job, maybe Lazor and DeFilippo can help salvage something out of the beleaguered quarterback.

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5 takeaways from Bears’ new offensive coaching staff

There’s plenty to unpack here, given the direction of Matt Nagy’s new offensive coaching staff, including the value of experience.

The Chicago Bears officially announced the new additions to Matt Nagy’s coaching staff, which includes a continued overhaul on offense.

Nagy confirmed the hirings of Bill Lazor as offensive coordinator and John DeFilippo as quarterbacks coach, as well as the promotion of Dave Ragone to pass game coordinator. They joined previously-announced coaches Juan Castillo (offensive line) and Clancy Barone (tight ends).

There’s plenty to unpack here, given the direction of Nagy’s hirings. Here are my five takeaways from the new additions to the Bears’ offensive coaching staff:

1. Fixing the offense a major priority this offseason

AP Photo/Amr Alfiky

Ask anyone about what doomed the Bears in 2019, and the answer will be an overwhelming chorus focused on the offense. While the Bears offense didn’t need to be a top-10 offense to live up to expectations, they needed to show progress in Year 2 of Matt Nagy’s system. Instead, they ranked near the bottom of nearly every statistical category.

Naturally, someone had to take the fall. And it wasn’t going to be Nagy. So it’s easy to assume that the firings of offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, offensive line coach Harry Hiestand and tight ends coach Kevin Gilbride were an attempt to pawn off the blame for the offense’s struggles. But it feels like it’s more about accountability at this point.

The offense needs to be significantly better this season than it was in 2019. It’s as simple as that. If not, Nagy’s seat will grow even hotter.

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Bears announce coaching staff additions

The Bears have announced their coaching staff additions, which includes some previously announced hirings and some new promotions.

The Chicago Bears have announced their coaching staff additions, which includes some previously announced hirings and some new promotions.

Chicago has hired Bill Lazor as offensive coordinator and John DeFilippo as quarterbacks coach. They also announced Dave Ragone’s promotion from quarterbacks coach to pass game coordinator.

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The Bears had previously announced the hirings of Juan Castillo as offensive line coach and Clancy Barone as tight ends coach.

Aside from those hirings, the Bears also announced some more staff promotions, including Brian Ginn to assistant special teams coach, Chris Jackson to assistant wide receivers and Shane Toub to defensive quality control.

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6 things to know about new Bears QB coach John DeFilippo

The Bears continue to shake up their offensive coaching staff. Get to know John DeFilippo, the newest addition to Matt Nagy’s staff.

The Bears continue to shake up their offensive coaching staff following an abysmal effort by the unit in 2019.

After hiring offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, offensive line Juan Castillo and tight ends coach Clancy Barone, the Bears have added another new face to Matt Nagy’s staff.

Former Jaguars offensive coordinator John DeFilippo has been hired as the Bears quarterback coach, replacing Dave Ragone, who was promoted to passing game coordinator.

Here are six things to know about the Bears’ new quarterbacks coach:

1. DeFilippo  interviewed for Bears head coaching job in 2018.

Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

DeFilippo is no stranger to the Bears. Following his impressive stint as Eagles quarterbacks coach in 2017, he garnered head coaching interest from several teams including the Bears.

While DeFilippo didn’t get the job with Chicago — as Matt Nagy was their top choice — it sounds like DeFilippo impressed the Bears in his interview.

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Report: John DeFilippo joining Bears as new QB coach

Following the hiring of Bill Lazor as OC, there are even more changes coming to Chicago’s offensive coaching staff.

While it was previously reported that Bill Lazor will join the Bears as their new offensive coordinator, there are even more changes coming to Chicago’s offensive coaching staff.

Former Jaguars offensive coordinator John DeFilippo is joining the Bears as their new quarterbacks coach. As for that means for quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone, he’s being promoted to passing game coordinator, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

DeFilippo interviewed for the Bears’ head coaching position two years ago. While he didn’t get the position, he joined the Vikings as their offensive coordinator in 2018 and was the Jaguars’ OC last year. DeFilippo and the Jaguars mutually parted ways on Monday.

With Ragone being promoted to passing game coordinator, it opens up Lazor to focus primarily on the running game, which will be a major focus as the Bears look to fix their ailing offense.

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5 candidates for Bears offensive coordinator

Following the Bears’ offensive struggles in 2019, they wasted no time in firing OC Mark Helfrich. Now, Matt Nagy is looking for a new OC.

Following the Bears’ offensive struggles in 2019, they wasted no time cleaning part of the house with the firings of four coaches, including offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich.

The Bears now have an offensive coordinator vacancy, and there are several options head coach Matt Nagy is surely looking at. While Nagy serves as play-caller — and likely will remain as such in 2020 — he’ll be looking for someone to better assist him in the development of the play sheet throughout the week as they look to right the broken ship that is Chicago’s offense.

Here are five candidates that could land the Bears’ offensive coordinator position:

1. Mike Kafka

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

When you take a look at all the candidates, Mike Kafka is one that probably makes the most sense. He has the Andy Reid connection — and a connection to Matt Nagy. Kafka played as a backup quarterback with the Eagles during Nagy’s time as an offensive assistant in Philadelphia with Reid.

Nagy is quite familiar with Kafka, whose is from Chicago and went to Northwestern. You have to imagine this would be an enticing opportunity for him.

Obviously, Reid would have to sign off on Kafka going to Chicago, but Reid is someone that tends to encourage his guys to move up the ranks. The only thing stopping him would likely be if Eric Bienemy lands a head coaching job and Reid decides to promote Kafka to Chiefs offensive coordinator.

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