After the Bears’ Week 10 loss, a brand new round of questions emerged about offensive changes being made. Head coach Matt Eberflus left the door open to Shane Waldron losing play-calling responsibilities, although a final decision on that front has yet to be made.
“There might be changes, adjustments being made,” Eberflus said when talking to the media on Monday (via Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic). “I’m not going to reveal those right away. I’m not at that time in the method.”
Earlier within the day, Eberflus indicated 24 t0 48 hours will transpire before any changes are formalized (h/t ESPN’s Courtney Cronin). The status of Waldron is a central talking point on this process, and Eberflus has altered course from previous weeks by repeatedly not taking the chance to endorse his offensive coordinator. Chicago scored 36 points in Week 5, and one other 35 the next game. In three contests since, the team has totaled only 27 points.
Waldron’s first NFL stint took place from 2008-09, and he returned to the professional ranks in 2016. After a single season in Washington, he worked on the Rams’ staff for 4 years. That was followed by a three-year run because the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator, one wherein Seattle finished ninth in scoring in 2022 and quarterback Geno Smith played his way into franchise quarterback status. Expectations were high for Caleb Williams‘ arrival this 12 months with Waldron replacing Luke Getsy, but things haven’t gone in line with plan.
Williams has topped 200 passing yards 4 times this season, but he has also posted a sub-54% completion percentage in 4 games (including each of the past three). This 12 months’s No. 1 pick has been sacked a league-leading 38 times, an illustration partially of his own learning curve and in addition of the many injuries Chicago has handled up front. That figure nevertheless reflects poorly on the offense as an entire, a unit which has struggled to search out consistency under Waldron.
To little surprise, Eberflus confirmed Williams will remain atop the depth chart moving forward. The 22-year-old’s development is the Bears’ top priority for 2024, although competing for a postseason berth will still be feasible if offensive improvement can happen. Chicago sits twenty fourth in scoring through 10 weeks, but with a 4-5 record the team continues to be in touching distance of a wild-card berth. As Eberflus navigates a potentially uncertain future regarding his own job security, his decisions over the approaching days might be interesting to see.
