Bears' Blueprint to Fixing Offense Without Justin Fields Under New OC Shane Waldron
The Chicago Bears are nearing the first step of their offensive overhaul with the expected hire of offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
Chicago's offense finished among the bottom half of the league in each of Matt Eberflus' first two seasons as head coach.
During Waldron's tenure as the Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator, he oversaw the revival of Geno Smith's career and pieced together a top-10 scoring offense in 2022. Prior to his Seahawks tenure, Waldron spent four seasons as one of Sean McVay's top assistants with the Los Angeles Rams. He's been considered a future head coaching candidate along the way.
The Bears hired arguably the best option for their situation and should expect results. However, multiple more steps need to be taken, with a massive decision looming regarding the status of quarterback Justin Fields.
Most of the work will be done through building a strong foundation during the draft, but at least two key moves should involve current personnel.
Trade QB Justin Fields
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A strong argument can be made for or against the Bears trading quarterback Justin Fields.
However, the argument in favor of doing so crystalized during Chicago's Week 18 contest against the archrival Green Bay Packers. It became so blatantly clear that Jordan Love already surpassed Fields in just his first year as a full-time starter that it's hard to envision the Bears overcoming the Packers in the division.
During that Packers victory, Love threw for 316 yards and two scores. Meanwhile, what truly became obvious was the lack of trust Chicago's coaching staff had in Fields, who threw the ball 16 total times while also being sacked five times.
To be clear, the Bears organization hasn't done a good job building around the 2021 11th overall draft pick. Furthermore, Fields still has more than enough ability to develop into a quality starter, for some other franchise.
It is in Chicago's best interests to restart the clock at the game's most important position.
Instead of picking up Fields' fifth-year rookie option while possibly staring down a massive contract extension, the Bears can use this year's first overall pick as part of last year's draft-day trade with the Carolina Panthers to select the quarterback of their choice. In doing so, they're back to year one on a new rookie deal while pairing Waldron with his quarterback from day one.
The move will also add more assets to Chicago's arsenal. At minimum, Fields should demand second-round compensation in return.
The quarterback market will have suitors, with the Atlanta Falcons and Las Vegas Raiders as strong landing spots. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans may enter the mix as well depending on internal feelings about their young quarterbacks. Mystery teams always sniff around when someone of Fields' talent level becomes available. The Bears shouldn't have any problem moving Fields for at least a Day 2 pick, if not a little more.
This move should be done well before the draft so Chicago has a clear runway to adding its next franchise quarterback.
Make Strong Free-Agent Push for C Tyler Biadasz
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Along with reaching some kind of agreement to trade Fields at the start of the new league year, the Bears must concentrate on solidifying their offensive line. The best way to do so is through free agency with a veteran to serve as a steadying presence for the incoming rookie quarterback.
Since free agency takes place before the draft, it's the next move chronologically.
This past season, Fields ranked among the five most sacked quarterbacks. His mobility is both a blessing and a curse. The 24-year-old is a weapon in the running game, and his ability to extend plays creates some special moments. At the same time, Fields holds the ball longer than any other starter, which leads to extra sacks.
Comparatively, Smith got the ball out much quicker as part of Waldron's offensive scheme. The Bears should be looking for a move decisive thrower ready to rip passes into tight coverage.
Regardless of who ends up under center, an improved front will help in both offensive phases.
Chicago has the ninth-most projected salary-cap space for the 2024 season, according to Over the Cap. The Bears sit at $46.9 million.
General manager Ryan Poles should look to re-sign cornerback Jaylon Johnson, wide receiver Darnell Mooney and possibly tight end Robert Tonyan Jr. From there, center Tyler Biadasz can become the primary target outside of the organization.
The 26-year-old pivot became a starter as a rookie. During the following three seasons, Biadasz started all but two games. He become a Pro Bowler in 2022. On the other side of the equation, the Bears have a need with Lucas Patrick set to enter free agency and the financial flexibility to make Biadasz one of the game's highest-paid centers.
The Bears can get younger, improve the talent over the ball, provide a young quarterback with a proven snapper and bring a Midwestern boy closer to home by signing Biadasz.
Poles can get other ancillary pieces during free agency, but an experienced and capable offensive lineman is well worth a premium investment.
Draft a QB With No. 1 Pick
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Once the draft officially starts and the Bears are on the clock, they'll have their choice of quarterbacks.
North Carolina's Drake Maye, USC's Caleb Williams and LSU's Jayden Daniels are currently expected to be drafted among the first three picks in some order.
Maye and Williams have been the top two prospects throughout the year, though Daniels played his way into the top-10 conversation with a fantastic Heisman Trophy-winning campaign. For now, the LSU product will remain out of this particular conversation.
For the Bears, it should come down to Maye or Williams. Those within the organization have the next three months to figure out which one of the two they like more.
In this particular case, the Bleacher Report Scouting Department ranks Maye as the class' QB1, so we'll lean in that direction.
"Overall, Maye is a supremely talented passer," B/R scout Derrik Klassen wrote in his scouting report. "He has the athleticism, arm talent and baseline processing skills to become a weapon at the next level. All he needs to do is cut out some of the 'doing too much' plays. Maye has the skill set to fit in any system and develop into a star."
However, Williams' natural throwing and playmaking abilities can't be ruled out of his equation.
"Williams is a fascinating prospect," Klassen wrote. "The arm talent oozes off the film, and he is a special playmaker when things break down. Williams is also more put together as a processor than his playing style suggests, even if he still needs work.
"In the NFL, Williams would fit best in a spread-out passing offense that gives him space and enables his playmaking ability, similar to Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray or the aforementioned Josh Allen."
Considering how Williams performed this season, particularly against top competition, Maye gets the slight nod. To an earlier point, the 6'4", 230-pound UNC product also made snappier decisions with a faster release time compared to the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner.
But this choice really comes down to which player the organization is most comfortable drafting and, most importantly, building around to maximize in Waldron's offense.
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Upgrade at LT With Ninth Overall Draft Pick
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After the quarterback decision is officially made, the Bears have the benefit of another top-10 draft pick. Chicago owns the ninth overall selection after finishing 7-10 this season.
The team can go in one of two directions, depending on what caliber of prospect is available.
Either Poles can add a top-flight wide receiver at this juncture—which is a legitimate possibility with Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr., Washington's Rome Odunze and LSU's Malik Nabers all considered top-10 talents—to provide the Bears with a legitimate No. 1 target and pair him with D.J. Moore.
Or, the Bears can continue their concentration on building the offensive line into a strength by selecting Penn State's Olumuyiwa Fashanu or Notre Dame's Joe Alt.
Of all the names mentioned, the tackles may be a more viable option. Once those receivers start coming off the board, they're going to go quickly. Besides, drafting a tackle in the first round and then targeting a wide receiver later can be a smart strategy. Just look at the Detroit Lions' 2021 draft.
Fashanu and Alt both project as 10- or 12-year starters on some quarterback's blind side. They're very different prospects, though. The former may have a higher likelihood of sliding just a little for Chicago to acquire because he presents more upside without being nearly as polished.
"Fashanu has high-end physical tools with rarely seen polish as a pass-protector that is counterbalanced with being more underdeveloped as a finisher in the run game," B/R scout Brandon Thorn wrote in his scouting report. "His ability to thrive on an island in pass protection right away with the tools, runway and flashes necessary to make improvements as a run-blocker indicates a franchise-caliber blind-side protector who can at least be average in the run game."
Conversely, Alt is the most polished technician in this year's class and a people-mover in the run game.
"Alt is not the most powerful run-blocker, but he more than makes up for it with pristine technique on and through contact with excellent pad level, balance and body control to steer, sustain and finish blocks consistently," Thorn added. "This shows up on both the front and back side of Notre Dame's inside/outside zone and pin-pull concepts, from the first to the second level of a defense."
Either can be an excellent pickup since the B/R Scouting Department grades both as top-six overall prospects. In this particular case, Fashanu holds a slight edge based purely on his immediate pass-blocking contributions.
The pick could also create a cascading effect by moving Braxton Jones to left guard and replacing an injury-prone Teven Jenkins.
Add More Talent at Wide Receiver
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After getting their new quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick and then adding a franchise left tackle eight selections later, the Bears can finally starting adding offensive weapons, which is something they failed to do for Fields.
Yes, Chicago brought in D.J. Moore as part of the Bryce Young deal. The veteran wide receiver played relatively well, with a team-leading 96 receptions for 1,364 yards. Yet Moore isn't necessarily viewed as a true WR1. His game is predicated on creating after the catch instead of being a top-notch route-runner or ball-winner.
In recent years, prospects Jayden Reed, Rashee Rice, Tank Dell, Josh Downs, Christian Watson, Nico Collins, Tee Higgins, Michael Pittman Jr., Deebo Samuel, A.J. Brown, DK Metcalf, Diontae Johnson and Terry McLaurin heard their names called during the draft's second day. That group doesn't even include Amon-Ra St. Brown and Puka Nacua, who were Day 3 draft picks.
High-end wide receivers can be found throughout the process and aren't limited to first-round picks.
The Bears can take one or both of their second-round selections—based on the assumption they can get at least a second-rounder in exchange for Fields—and replenish their wide receiver talent.
At the moment, the B/R Scouting Department has the following wide receiver prospects graded as second- or third-round talents: Oregon's Troy Franklin (pictured), Washington's Ja'Lynn Polk, Texas' Adonai Mitchell and Xavier Worthy, Florida State's Johnny Wilson, Alabama's Jermaine Burton, South Carolina's Xavier Legette, North Carolina's Devontez Walker and Georgia's Ladd McConkey.
Those names don't even include Western Kentucky's Malachi Corley, Louisville's Jamari Thrash, Florida's Ricky Pearsall and Virginia's Malik Washington, who could find themselves in the same tier with a standout predraft process.
The Bears might as well make a list and check off boxes as they add pieces. It starts with a change at quarterback and logically ends with adding the type of weapons they've lacked in recent years.
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