Shane

Waldron

Thomas Brown, the Panthers’ former offensive coordinator, will take over play calling duties in Chicago. A year after flaming out as Seattle’s OC, Waldron couldn’t make it through one season with the Bears. Stacked with as much wide receiver talent as any team in the league along with No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams, Waldron’s offense ranked 31st in yards, with a meager nine touchdowns through Week 10. Chicago has the league’s fifth lowest offensive success rate heading into Week 11, and Williams has been the most inaccurate QB in football since the middle of October. The Bears are set to clean house following the season in an effort to save Williams from being one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history. It would be shocking to see Waldron get another OC job in the NFL.

It sure sounds like the upcoming evaluations that Eberflus is still conveniently “in the process” of as of his latest press briefing are going to be coaching-focused. Williams took nine sacks (9 sacks?) in Chicago’s Week 10 loss to the Patriots. Something has got to give. We’d be surprised if Shane Waldron saw more than another sunrise as Bears offensive play caller.

Things aren’t going well in Chicago. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has been put to the test as of late, as his offense has inexplicably scored just 27 points in its last three games since coming off the bye. It’s a far cry from the 31.7 points they averaged from Weeks 4-6. Waldron is in his first season as the Bears’ OC, but with Eberflus entering 2024 already on the hot seat, he can ill-afford to bank on other coaches who are underperforming in their role. A change could be in order if Eberflus hopes to save his job.

Shane Waldron’s first year in Chicago hasn’t exactly been smooth. The former Seahawks offensive coordinator (2021-2023) is leading an offense that currently ranks 19th in points per game (21.5) and 28th in yards per game (294.6), but that has totaled just 24 points in their two games since returning from their bye. It would appear Waldron’s job is safe heading into Week 10 against the Patriots, but another down week could lead to some changes.

Lal worked with new Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron in Seattle and is known for his wide receiver expertise. He helped evolve the Seahawks’ passing game with Geno Smith, working with the team since 2022. Prior to that, he spent time as an offensive assistant and wide receivers coach for the Jaguars, Cowboys, Colts, and several other teams. The Bears’ interview with Lal indicates they are building Waldron’s offensive staff prior to free agency and the draft.

This sounds like all but a done deal for Waldron, who has spent the last three seasons in Seattle alongside former head coach Pete Carroll. Waldron, 44, served with the Rams in various capacities from 2017 through 2020 before landing his current role with the Seahawks. Despite having no offensive play-calling experience when the Seahawks hired him in 2021, Waldron’s offense never ranked lower than 17th in any of his three seasons and ranked as high as ninth in 2022. They also ranked 10th in EPA per play and early-down pass frequency over that span, despite being thought of as a more run-heavy coach when hired. Waldron will now get the chance to take over the offense for a Bears team that holds the No. 1 overall pick, with a chance to draft Caleb Williams or ride things out with Justin Fields.

Waldron joined the Seahawks in 2021 after spending three seasons as the Rams’ pass game coordinator and another as their tight ends coach. As many teams have in recent years, the Seahawks took a shot on a Sean McVay disciple and were rewarded with an offensive coordinator who oversaw the revival of Geno Smith’s career. With Pete Carroll out as the head coach in Seattle, Waldron will likely be replaced by an offensive coordinator appointed but the next head coach. His success should earn him a lateral move somewhere else in the league.

With Pete Carroll out as the Seahawks’ head coach, Waldron is available for external jobs. The Bears parted ways with offensive coordinator Luke Getsy after the 2023 season with Matt Eberflus still as head coach. If Waldron and the Bears are a match, he would establish an offense for either Justin Fields or a rookie at quarterback.

Waldron is a no-name hire, but he’s worked under both Bill Belichick and Sean McVay. He was the Rams’ passing-game coordinator for three seasons after being promoted from tight ends coach. He’s orchestrated a successful passing offense despite working around Jared Goff during that span, but it’s unclear how much say he had with McVay running the show. The Seahawks have made it clear that they want to take a more balanced approach on offense next season, and it’s a bonus that they get to pluck another coach away from their division rival. Coach Pete Carroll has been frustrated at how his offense has done against two-high defenses, something the Rams ran on defense last year. It’s worth noting that Waldron has never called plays at any level.

Waldron has served as the passing-game coordinator for Los Angles for three seasons after being promoted from the TE coach job. He previously served on Bill Belichick’s staff for two years. Waldron even got an interview by the Bengals when they were looking for a new head coach in 2018 but Cincinnati ultimately opted for fellow Rams coach Zac Taylor. The Rams have been a successful offense in recent years despite often opting for run-heavy approaches. This likely warms Pete Carroll’s heart and makes Waldron a solid candidate to become the next Seattle OC.