After firing offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, the Bears went through a laundry list of qualified candidates for the opening around the league.
They interviewed the likes of Klint Kubiak,
But why?
"I think some of the guys who went through there and did the coordinator interviews there, one of the things that excited them about the job was the chance to take Caleb Williams," Albert Breer said on Kap & JHood on ESPN 1000.
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MORE: How Bears' Justin Fields, QB uncertainty impacts search for offensive coordinator
On the surface, the job didn't appear to be uber-attractive for several reasons.
For one, the Bears retained Matt Eberflus after two treacherous seasons that saw the Bears go 10-24 during that time frame. With that in mind, Eberflus could be on the chopping block following another dud season; that means his offensive coordinator would also be out the door.
Chicago Bears
The Bears still have the most significant decision on their hands, too, deciding between Justin Fields or Williams. Should the Bears opt for Fields, the offensive coordinator likely won't have much weight in convincing them otherwise. That means developing a third offense for Fields, who has failed through the first two.
Remember, Eberflus reportedly defended Fields throughout the offensive coordinator interviews. Albert Breer, during the same ESPN 1000 interview, said Eberflus defended Fields and his performance, sticking up for his quarterback.
“Eberflus did defend Justin Fields in the interviews, as I understand it,” Breer said.
Of course, it wouldn't make much sense for the Bears to speak poorly of Fields. He is still on the Bears' roster and is the team's starting quarterback. The Bears have most certainly not yet made up their minds on who will be under center in 2024. But the question becomes --- how positively did they speak of Williams?
In the end, the Bears landed on Shane Waldron, the offensive coordinator from the Seattle Seahawks. Waldron is arguably the best man for the job. He has a wealth of experience working from the Shanahan tree and he's often credited for helping Geno Smith rejuvenate his career with the Seahawks.
"I think he's an elite play-caller," an NFC scout whose team has faced Waldron's offenses several times told NBC Sports Chicago. "Really creative schematically. He's good at covering up weaknesses. Their offensive line really struggled this year, and I thought he was able to mask it as well as anyone. He's incredibly smart and versatile. That offense will succeed no matter who the quarterback is. He'll figure it out."
How much weight will Waldron carry in a conversation about the 2024 quarterback with the Bears? That seemingly could've been a big selling point to him coming to Chicago. And it will be key for the newly minted, shiny offensive staff, which was solidified on Wednesday.
