Each NFL season brings an opportunity for success. And in any opportunity for a successful season, much like the Bears have this upcoming 2024 season, the player's health and performance are the top priorities for meeting those expectations.
But coaching is just as important. And no one on the Bears has a more important role next season than offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, NFL analyst Kevin Clark said on ESPN.
"He's the most important OC in that division because he determines Caleb Williams' floor in Year 1," Clark said. "... What they need to do in Year 1 is easy answers without babying Caleb Williams. That, to me, is the most important thing. Caleb Williams had the most 50-yard pass plays in college football last year. You don't want to lose that.
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"Having said that, you want easy answers. Keenan Allen had some of the best numbers in the short-area field last year. DJ Moore was the third-best receiver last year on deep targets. So you marry every level of the field. Make Caleb Williams comfortable. He is NFL-ready. The footwork is getting there, the arm action is there, he's athletic enough."
It's always challenging to develop an offense tailored for a rookie quarterback. Williams and the Bears are going through the process of making acquaintances as they figure out his strengths and weaknesses. It's up to Waldron to craft an offense suited for him after that.
Luckily, GM Ryan Poles did phenomenal work this past offseason, acquiring the likes of Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze to bolster the pass-catching group. He also brought in D'Andre Swift to pair with Khalil Herbert in now a detrimental backfield. The offensive line's cohesiveness is helpful, also.
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But at the end of the day, Waldron calls the shots. Bears fans know all too well how important that is. Last season, offensive coordinator Luke Getsy didn't craft a suitable enough offense for Justin Fields, which was exposed through several eye-rolling examples.
Remember when Getsy drew up three consecutive screen plays against the Buccaneers? All for their defense to return an interception three yards for a touchdown? It's sequences like this Waldron must avoid in his first season as the Bears' play-caller.
But he has all the tools. He has the experience from his time helping revamp Geno Smith's career in Seattle and learning under Sean McVay in four seasons with the Rams before it.
"This could be a phenomenon in Year 1 if Waldron takes a lot of what we saw in Seattle, as far as the backfield sophistication, the easy throws, making easy answers," Clark said. "If he takes that, gives it to Caleb Williams, this is a very good quarterback Year 1."