Bears still searching

Cross yet another coaching candidate off of the list for the Bears.

ESPN reported that Hue Jackson, who was the Baltimore Ravens quarterbacks coach, decided to accept the Oakland Raiders' offensive coordinator job Tuesday rather than possibly rolling the dice on an interview with the Bears.

The laughingstock Raiders finished second-to-last in total offense in 2009, with only the Cleveland Browns finishing worse. Instead of working with a franchise quarterback such as Jay Cutler, Jackson will work with the tandem of JaMarcus Russell and Bruce Gradkowski.

Perhaps Jackson was not a top candidate for the Bears, who have vowed to take their time in the search for coordinators. Either way, Jackson's decision to bypass a Bears interview and take the Raiders' job provides another public-relations nightmare at Halas Hall.

Jeremy Bates already bypassed a Bears interview to run the Seattle Seahawks' offense, and defensive coordinator candidate Perry Fewell picked the New York Giants over the Bears. The Bears have interviewed Bengals assistant Ken Zampese and Chargers assistant Rob Chudzinski for the offensive coordinator job, but neither is expected to come to Chicago.

Three weeks have passed since the Bears fired offensive coordinator Ron Turner and several other assistant coaches.

-Tom Musick