Head coach Matt Eberflus deserves credit. The Chicago Bears head coach faces a tough task this off-season. Not only did he gut the offensive coaching staff, but he’d have to rebuild it with a cloud hanging over him. One that suggested one more losing season could see him get fired. Nobody wants to work for a head coach who’s job is in jeopardy. Well, it appears he and GM Ryan Poles had no such issues. Over the past month, the two have collaborated on piecing together a new staff, headlined by offensive coordinator Shane Waldron.
It’s hard not to like their approach. Kerry Joseph took over as quarterbacks coach. He is a former NFL and CFL quarterback with almost two decades of experience. Wide receivers coach Chris Beatty soon followed. He’s succeeded at every level, from high school to college and into the NFL. Percy Harvin, Jordan Matthews, D.J. Moore, and Jordan Addison were some of the notable names he mentored. Now, the staff seems to have rounded it with two more names.
Former Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown joins as the new passing game coordinator. Many view him as one of the rising young stars in coaching circles. He was the running backs coach for the Rams during their Super Bowl run in 2021. Before that, he had a productive stint as offensive coordinator for the Miami Hurricanes, where he showed a knack for coaching up young QBs.
He is joined by Chad Morton, the former Seattle Seahawks running backs coach who worked with Waldron for the past three years.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
The Chicago Bears have built a well-blended staff.
While the new arrivals are mostly on the younger side, they all have proven experience elsewhere and solid track records. Brown flashed potential in an otherwise ugly year with Carolina, helping rookie Bryce Young deliver a strong 312-yard and three-TD performance against the eventual playoff-bound Green Bay Packers. He’s also coached tight ends and running backs. Morton has done solid work in Seattle since 2017, helping players like Chris Carson and Kenneth Walker have standout seasons despite constant issues with the offensive line.
It’s hard not to feel like this staff is far superior to what the Chicago Bears had the past two seasons. Waldron brings much more credibility as a playcaller. His new assistants also have significantly more experience at their respective jobs than the group Eberflus dismissed a few weeks ago. Better still, most of them have worked in the style of offense Chicago wants to run. Waldron, Brown, and Morton all understand the wide-zone system well.
More than anything, it’s obvious the Bears are putting together a group that leans heavily into the passing game. They aim to have coaches qualified to develop a young quarterback.
