Offense certainly on Emery's mind

Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell — who is expected to interview later this week in Seattle — would be the eighth offensive coordinator in the running to succeed Lovie Smith as the Bears' head coach.

Bears general manager Phil Emery has already interviewed six candidates, and he has four more scheduled for this week. Two finalists are expected for second interviews late this week.

Bevell, 43, has been Seattle's offensive coordinator the past two seasons. The Seahawks were ninth in scoring and 17th in total offense this season after ranking 28th in offense in 2011.

Before he joined Pete Carroll in Seattle, Bevell was the Vikings' offensive coordinator from 2006-10. He was hired in Minnesota by head coach Brad Childress, his former offensive coordinator when he was a quarterback at Northern Arizona and Wisconsin.

Bevell has a long history with Childress, an Aurora native and Marmion Military Academy graduate. Childress recruited Bevell to Northern Arizona after bigger schools like BYU lost interest in him when he suffered a broken finger on his throwing hand early in his senior season at Chapparal High School in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Bevell redshirted as a freshman at Northern Arizona and would have been in the competition for the starting job the next season. Instead, he spent the next two years in Cleveland on a Mormon Church mission.

In the interim, Childress moved on to the University of Utah. He offered Bevell a scholarship but was turned down because the quarterback wanted to complete his mission. By the time he did, Childress was at Wisconsin. This time the coach successfully recruited Bevell, who became a three-year starter and led the Badgers to their first Rose Bowl appearance in 30 years and, the next year, to their first-ever Rose Bowl victory in 1994.

But he went undrafted in 1995 and failed to catch on in the NFL as a free agent.

After several years coaching at the college level, Bevell landed in Green Bay. He was the Packers' quarterbacks coach from 2003-05 after spending the previous three seasons as an offensive assistant. He was succeeded as the Packers' QB coach by Tom Clements, now the team's offensive coordinator — who is also scheduled to interview with the Bears later this week.

Emery interviewed Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy in Denver on Sunday and Montreal Alouettes head coach Marc Trestman, a former offensive coordinator with four NFL teams, on Monday in Chicago.

He has already interviewed Falcons special-teams coach Keith Armstrong, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan, Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael and Cowboys special-teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis. Emery is also scheduled to talk with Clements, Texans offensive coordinator Rick Dennison and Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians later this week. Arians was released Monday afternoon from a Baltimore hospital after falling ill Sunday and missing the Colts' 24-9 playoff loss to the Ravens on Sunday.

He is expected to begin interviewing for head-coaching opportunities soon. In addition to the Bears, Arians is also expected to interview with the Eagles, Browns and Chargers.

Late Monday, Emery announced he also plans to interview Vikings assistant linebackers coach and former Bears great Mike Singletary, and Vikings special teams coordinator Mike Priefer.

ŸThe Bears signed quarterback Matt Blanchard and wide receiver Terrence Toliver to reserve-future contracts Monday. Only players who were not on any NFL team's 53-man roster at the conclusion of the 2012 season are eligible to sign reserve-future contracts for the 2013 season. Blanchard, a Lake Zurich High School graduate, spent most of the season on the Bears' practice squad.

The Bears' list (so far)

Here are the coaches who have or who are scheduled to interview with Bears:

Ÿ Bruce Arians, Colts offensive coordinator (later this week)

Ÿ Keith Armstrong, Falcons special teams coordinator (Jan. 1)

Ÿ Darrell Bevell, Seahawks offensive coordinator (Thursday)

Ÿ Pete Carmichael, Saints offensive coordinator (Jan. 3)

Ÿ Tom Clements, Packers offensive coordinator (Thursday)

Ÿ Joe DeCamillis, Cowboys special teams coach (Jan. 5)

Ÿ Rick Dennison, Texans offensive coordinator (later this week)

Ÿ Mike McCoy, Broncos offensive coordinator (Jan. 6)

Ÿ Mike Priefer, Vikings special teams coordinator (TBA)

Ÿ Mike Singletary, Vikings assistant linebackers coach (TBA)

Ÿ Mike Sullivan, Bucs offensive coordinator (Jan. 4 )

Ÿ Marc Trestman, Montreal Alouettes head coach (Jan. 7)