Source: Jackson to take Raiders' offer
Baltimore Ravens quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson, who was scheduled to interview Tuesday in Chicago for the Bears' offensive coordinator job, will accept an offer to serve in that capacity for the Oakland Raiders, sources close to the situation tell ESPN.
So now we've had a college coach decline an interview, a few assistants interview and decide to turn it down, and the Ravens QB coach decide he'd rather work with Jamarcus Russell and Al Davis than the Bears.
But remember Lovie promised us "People will want to come here" in that dog and pony show press conference where he somehow kept his job despite 3 straight seasons of declining performance.
I completely understand why any legitimate OC (don't call it that...) candidate would absolutely not want to come to Chicago. It's pretty simple really:
1) Lame duck head coach who is likely, barring a miracle, not returning after next season. Which basically means that..
2) You're looking at a 1 year gig because as soon as a new coach is brought in, new assistants are likely to follow...and with a lockout in 2011 looming, coaches want job security.
3) The Bears have already hired assistant offensive coaches before hiring a coordinator. So come to Chicago for a 1 year deal with a group of coaches you didn't select to run your offense...not exactly a resume builder.
4) Can't know for sure, but it's pretty likely the Bears are lowballing all of these coaches. The Bears are pretty notorious for not wanting to pay coaches, I don't see this changing now...especially with that looming lockout.
So what can the Bears hope for? Mike Martz? He said he'd take the job but I personally would be pretty ticked if they sign him because you know they'll act like he was the best choice and the guy they were looking for all along. They'd just be ignoring the fact that if Martz was the guy, he could have been signed the day after Turner was fired. He has lobbied for the job. Angelo said this is the most important decision he's going to make for the Bears moving forward...so if they just throw their hands up in the air because they cannot get any of the guys they actually want (like Perry Fewell on defense...didn't get him either) and sign Martz out of desperation, it will be a huge cop out.
This could have been avoided if the Bears did the right thing and chopped down this issue from its source: Angelo and Lovie. Pay them off to leave town and start over. Because now Jay Cutler is going to be looking at his 3rd offense in 3 years (and likely 4th the year after) which anyone knows is detrimental to a QB's development. Just look at what Peyton Manning has done with that offense in Indy...been running it for over a decade and I'm pretty sure he could run it in his sleep by now. Must be nice as a Colts fan to know that.
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