Ron Turner never flinched as the Bears sliced three coaches from their staff this off-season, cutting ties with defensive assistants Brick Haley, Steven Wilks and Lloyd Lee.
The Bears’ offensive coordinator received a vote of confidence from coach Lovie Smith as the entire offensive staff escaped unscathed although the Bears finished 26th in the league in total offense.
“No, not really,” Turner said when asked Tuesday whether he was nervous about losing his job. “You just do the best you can with what you have, work as hard as you can and let things fall where they may. …
“Yeah, it’s good to know Lovie believes in what we’re doing. We just have to continue to get better.”
As Turner dissected film from this season, his biggest concern was the lack of big plays such as ex-Bear Bernard Berrian’s 99-yard touchdown when the Vikings defeated the Bears in late November.
True, Devin Hester evolved as a receiver and rookie running back Matt Forte exceeded expectations. But the Bears managed just three offensive scores of 50 yards or more and 16 plays of 30-plus yards.
“We did a lot of good things. But the one thing that was missing throughout the year was big plays,” Turner said.
Having a big-play receiver would help. Hester showed progress and could be the guy, but it would help to add another threat to complement him. The Bears will have to rebuild their receiving corps, with Brandon Lloyd and Marty Booker likely out of the mix next season.
“We have to look at all the options there, either through the draft or free agency,” Turner said. “We have some really good young talent on offense. We have to continue to add to it.”
If the Bears go the draft route, Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree is the name most mentioned as a difference-maker.
He is unlikely to be available when the Bears pick No. 18 overall, but their first-round emphasis is likely to be defense.
Another name to consider is Maryland’s Darrius Heyward-Bey, like Crabtree an underclassman.
“It’s a real good year in the draft for receivers,” Turner said. “And I think there will be some free agents out there we’ll look at.”
Many eyes will be on Turner to see how the offense progresses next season. Quarterback Kyle Orton took a step forward before an ankle injury caused him to take a step back. Forte’s late-season toe sprain emphasized the need for a complementary back, and the Bears could address that need through the draft.
“I believe in what we’re doing offensively,” Smith said. “Ron does a great job. But we all need to do a better job. We need to get a little bit more firepower. And we will.”
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vxmcclure@tribune.com
