Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
New Chicago Bears Head Coach Marc Trestman has wasted no time in hiring new coaches. Just a few short hours after being named Head Coach by the Bears, he brings in former New Orleans Saints interim Head Coach Aaron Kromer as the team’s offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. Kromer, filling in for regular head coach Sean Payton (suspended for the 2012 season) and hand-chosen interim coach Joe Vitt (who was supposed to fill in for Payton but was also suspended for six games) had a record of 2-4 with the Saints. Both Payton and Vitt were suspended as a part of Bounty Gate.
Kromer and Trestman worked together with the Oakland Raiders in 2003, the last time the Raiders made it to a Super Bowl (losing to the Tampa Bay Bucanners 48-21 in Super Bowl XXXVII). Their long-standing relationship made this move possible. While it is rumored that Trestman will be the primary play-caller for the Bears, Kromer’s job of managing the offensive line fills a huge need for the Monsters of the Midway. For those of you that have been living under a rock, the Bears offensive line has been a huge concern and Kromer will have his work cut out for him this season.
Kromer does have a Chicago connection. For two seasons between 1999-2000, he was the offensive line coach at Northwestern before making the jump to the NFL with the Raiders. He’s also worked with the Buccaneers as an assistant coach.
As of now, many experts expect the Bears to keep current defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli on the staff. The Bears finished 10-6 last season and the defense wasn’t as much of a concern as the offense. With big things expected from quarterback Jay Cutler, the Bears focus on offense shines through these hires.
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