Tice out, Kromer in as Bears Offensive Co-Ordinator

Marc Trestman has wasted no time in bringing in new staff, as former New Orleans Saints offensive line coach Aaron Kromer has been brought in to replace Mike Tice as the Bears offensive co-ordinator.

Kromer will also be the offensive line coach in Chicago, and should help a line that has struggled in recent years.

The Saints have been on the opposite end of the scale, having one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, they gave up only 20 sacks last season (the least in the NFL) compared to the Bears’ 44.

In Kromer’s four years as the Saints offensive line coach, they never moved out of the top five in the NFL in terms of sacks allowed. In 2009 they were fourth with 20, in 2010 they were fifth with 26 and in 2011 they were third with 24.

Kromer has coached both Saints’ offensive linemen Jermon Bushrod and Jahri Evans to Pro-Bowl seasons. Bushrod made it in 2011, and Evans was voted in for four straight years, in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

He also held the title as interim Head Coach of the Saints for the start of the 2012 season. With regular Head Coach Sean Payton suspended for the year and his replacement Joe Vitt suspended for six games, the role was handed to Kromer, who went 2-4 during his short stint as a Head Coach.

Before his job in New Orleans, Kromer and Trestman did work together at the Oakland Raiders from 2001 to 2003. Kromer was the assistant offensive line coach in 2001 then the full offensive line coach in 2002 and 2003, whilst Trestman was the offensive co-ordinator.

Kromer was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2005 to 2007, as a senior assistant and offensive line coach before joining the New Orleans Saints in 2009 as running backs coach.

Mike Tice is the man who Aaron Kromer will be replacing as offensive co-ordinator/offensive line coach. Former Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Tice was in his first year as offensive co-ordinator of the Bears in 2012, having coached the offensive line for the previous two years.

Under Tice, the Bears had a disappointing offensive year, they finished 28^th in the NFL in terms of yards per game (310.6), 29^th in passing yards per game (187.4) and 16^th in points per game (23.4) although many of those points came from the high-scoring defense.