People weren’t sure what to expect once the news dropped that offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and most of his staff were fired. Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus indicated the team would keep open minds once the search began for replacements. Beyond that, it was hard to provide any clear answers. Over the past week, reports have surfaced of the team meeting or preparing to meet with five different candidates.
- Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron
- Seahawks quarterbacks coach Greg Olson
- 49ers passing game coordinator Klint Kubiak
- Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen
- Former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman
It’s an interesting mix of names, all with one thing in common. Each name on that list has called plays at the college or NFL levels before. A reasonably sound strategy after what happened with Getsy, who had no such experience when the Bears hired him. However, things may not be what they appear. A prominent source with strong ties to the organization revealed that the Bears have a much bolder plan. Those five names are not random. In truth, the team hopes to bring in more than one of them, each occupying prominent jobs in a restructured staff. The exact idea would look like this.
- Offensive coordinator: Waldron
- Quarterbacks coach: Olson
- Passing game coordinator: Coen
- Run game coordinator: Roman
The idea is to assemble a deep, experienced staff that can help develop a young quarterback.
The Chicago Bears believe they can pull it off, too.
Or at least some semblance of it. Remember, Waldron and Olson worked together in Seattle for three years. They can easily come in as a package deal. Roman is unemployed. It’s not like he has people clamoring for his services. Coen worked with Waldron in Los Angeles under Sean McVay. They have a relationship as well. However, the source indicated he is proving difficult to convince because he wants the offensive coordinator job. Obviously, the situation is fluid, but this offers a clear picture of what Poles and Eberflus are trying to pull off.
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Waldron and Olson already had tons of success in Seattle, morphing Geno Smith into a Pro Bowl quarterback. Coen did great work at Kentucky with Will Levis. If you pair them with Roman, whom many in the NFL feel is the single-best crafter of rushing attacks in the NFL? You have the makings of a truly impressive staff. Everything makes sense. The challenge is making strong enough recruitment pitches to get everybody on board. This is where having the #1 pick and the prospect of working with Caleb Williams and Drake Maye is so vital. The Chicago Bears feel that gives them enough leverage to pull this off.
