Hub Arkush: Matt Eberflus back in Indianapolis for combine, looking for players with love of the game

INDIANAPOLIS – For Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus, coming to the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine has a feel of coming home.

From 2018-2021, Eberflus spent four seasons as the Colts defensive coordinator and turned one of the NFL’s worst defenses into a top-10 group earning him his current job.

While he appears comfortable with his current visit, and for years it’s been almost required for NFL head coaches, more and more of late have been staying at home to work.

To make good decisions, you have to have good information. When you’re eye-to-eye meeting with somebody - to me it’s like we all went through Covid with the zoom and all that stuff — it’s not the same as what we’re doing right now. I think it’s important to be here. This is a big year for us.

—  Matt Eberflus

But Eberflus still sees the value this week in being in Indianapolis, where the Bears are as popular as any club, with the first overall pick in the draft.

“I just think it’s the process of it. To make good decisions, you have to have good information. When you’re eye-to-eye meeting with somebody - to me it’s like we all went through Covid with the zoom and all that stuff — it’s not the same as what we’re doing right now. I think it’s important to be here. This is a big year for us.”

Eberflus sees value coaches just can’t get at home.

“Just to get to know them. Get to see their leadership skills as far as a teammate. Their FBI functional intelligence. See how they think on their feet in the 20 minutes we get to meet with them. That’s what we want to do, we really want to work these guys and see where they are.”

He knows his first major challenge with the Bears isn’t that different from where he started with the Colts, and whether it’s via the draft or free agency, part of the importance of meeting players in person is a search for certain types of players.

One thing Eberflus stresses is he’s as much about learning what kind of people his players are and how much they love the game as he is about their ability.

“How do they show that? It’s what they show on tape. We’re going to evaluate the number first. The passion that they have, the competes that they have on the field is the most important thing, and then we’ve got to figure out culturally, does he fit as a person, as a teammate and all those things.”

But first and foremost, Eberflus’ players have a love for the game.

“I think that’s really more about compatibility. Are they good teammates? And then you find out what their intelligence is off the field and their fit. Do they fit? Like I said, everything really is about the tape for us. Eighty percent of it is that because you have to have that to get your foot in the door.”

The Bears coach is honest about still needing to learn as much about the guys he already has before he can focus strictly on whom he has to add.

“We have to really wait a little bit. We can evaluate what we did last year but obviously when you get pieces to the puzzle and start fitting them in, free agency first and then the draft, certainly that’s gonna adjust through the offseason.

“We’re excited about doing that. We have a lot of good coaches. They do a great job of adjusting. And we’re excited to get that done.”

Like we said. We’re just in the process of evaluation of everything right now.”

Obviously, there is little conversation with Eberflus that doesn’t eventually focus on Justin Fields at quarterback — and the coach is careful to be positive but not overly committed.

“For the first year in the system, I think he’s on the right track. He just needs to make small improvements and adjustments to his game, and he’s going to do that.”

Asked if he’s learned enough yet to make any commitments, Eberflus is even more cautious.

“That’s speculation, I think, a little bit. I think we’re just going to let it build on what it is, and just keep letting it build step by step.”

At the end of the day, Eberflus appears confident in what he’s learned and accomplished in his first year in Chicago. He’s also clearly aware that his work is really still just beginning.