Chicago Bears won’t retain interim coach, OC Thomas Brown after hiring Ben Johnson

With Ben Johnson now settled in as head coach in Chicago, the task turns to rounding out his staff with the Bears. That can be as important as any other element of coaching right now.

To that end, Chicago will reportedly let go offensive coordinator and interim head coach Thomas Brown, as well as wide receivers coach Chris Beatty. ESPN’s Courtney Cronin reported that news on Thursday morning.

Brown is extremely well-regarded around the league, and he interviewed for the open Chicago head coaching job and Seattle’s offensive coordinator position.

He’ll likely land on his feet somewhere.

As for Ben Johnson, he’s just getting started in Chicago. He’s already at work assembling his staff. And some lead contenders have emerged.

Ben Johnson targeting veteran coordinator?

Ben Johnson’s most important hire will be that of a defensive coordinator and, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN, former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen is the “leading candidate” for the job.

“We’re talking about Ben Johnson taking over the offensive side of the football, so naturally, the defensive side will be key,” Schefter said on NFL Live. “The leading candidate to become his defensive coordinator in Chicago is going to be former Saints head coach Dennis Allen. So, if you could imagine getting Ben Johnson to run the offense and Dennis Allen to run the defense, that will be quite a combination in Chicago. Now, there is a process you have to go through, but in the end, I do believe Dennis Allen is the leading candidate to become the Bears next defensive coordinator.

“It will be up to somebody to take that job away from him and I can already envision Ben Johnson and Dennis Allen working together in tandem, in Chicago with Allen running that defense there and that would be a big-time hire for Ben Johnson who has been busy assembling a staff for whichever job he was going to take.”

On3’s Nick Geddes also contributed to this report.