Bears' Nagy held tight to assistant coach Desai
Bears coach Matt Nagy was happy when former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio got his shot as Denver Broncos head coach in 2020.
But there was one assistant Nagy was not letting Fangio take. Nagy saw something special with Sean Desai, who at that point coached the Bears' safeties.
Desai, who spent six seasons as defensive quality control coach, was promoted to defensive coordinator this offseason after Chuck Pagano retired. Desai will call the defensive shots for the first time in his NFL career when the Bears host Miami at noon Saturday at Soldier Field in the preseason opener.
"Vic didn't take my calls for like three months after that, but it's OK, I knew he'd get over it," Nagy said. "When I first got here, I didn't know a lot of the guys on the defensive staff. But as the year went on, I got to know them more.
"The quality control guys don't get any credit, but they're the ones doing all the work and learning a lot of the X's and O's. They're in the background, they're hidden, but they make things go."
Nagy saw Desai's energy and knowledge and felt he was too valuable to let him join Fangio. Desai, 38, is running a defense that ranked 14th in the NFL in yards allowed.
"I know what he's going to do and what he's going to be like," Nagy said. "I knew his goal was to be a coordinator. I couldn't promise him anything, but I could at least give him my word that if an opportunity does arise, you're going to have a chance at it."
Nagy said general manager Ryan Pace helped him gauge how valuable Desai was.
"Ryan was able to give me the background on coaches I didn't know and it helped me out," Nagy said. "Something I never want to take for granted with my own coaches is I want great teachers. (Desai) is an elite teacher. He knows how to connect what he's teaching with his guys and when that happens you build that trust. Those guys trust in him."
Another pick: Linebacker Alec Ogletree picked off an Andy Dalton pass in a red-zone drill Sunday. He signed last Wednesday and has 7 interceptions in four practices.
Ogletree is an intriguing player, having been selected No. 30 overall in the 2013 draft by St. Louis. He played with the Rams five seasons, with the New York Giants for two and was with the Jets last season before he was cut.
Three of Ogletree's last four NFL interceptions have come against the Bears.
Ready to Dazz-le: The Bears hope to see rookie wide receiver Dazz Newsome back in action soon. He is doing limited work as he recovers from a broken collarbone suffered in OTAs earlier this summer.
"The biggest challenge is knowing what to do and where to be at every (receiver) position," he said. "I've talked to ... Tarik Cohen, Teez Tabor, Marquise Goodwin. They were saying believe in the process and make sure I'm in the playbook."
No changes: The Bears were off Monday and there were no changes with the injury list Sunday. That list: Newsome (collarbone), OT Teven Jenkins (back), S Tashaun Gipson (groin), OL James Daniels (quadriceps), DB Michael Joseph (hamstring), LB Josh Woods (quadriceps), OLB Robert Quinn (back), LB Joel Iyiegbuniwe (hamstring), OT Larry Borom (concussion), TE J.P. Holtz (quadriceps), WR Thomas Ives (leg), OL Lachavious Simmons (concussion) and LB Roquan Smith (groin).
Trufant practiced Sunday and Iyiegbuniwe ran sprints.
DT Eddie Goldman, LS Patrick Scales, LB Christian Jones and OT Elijah Wilkinson remain on COVID-19 list.
S Eddie Jackson (hamstring) is on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury List. OT Germain Ifedi (hip flexor) and Cohen (knee) have yet to practice.