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Carmen Vitali
NFC North Reporter
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles stressed in his end-of-season press conference how much the team would prioritize an offensive coordinator who could be flexible.
Searching for a new offensive coordinator when they haven’t committed to what they’re going to do under center gave the Bears no choice in that regard. But that doesn’t mean it was the wrong strategy.
On Monday, the Bears got their guy: former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. Green flags are waving, even if they’re no longer “action green.”
Waldron has playcalling experience, which isn’t something Luke Getsy had when he was hired with Matt Eberflus prior to the 2022 season. Chicago had elected to roll the dice with a defensive head coach and up-and-coming offensive coordinator.
But it often yields better results to add experience to the side of the ball the head coach isn’t as familiar with. That’s what the Bears are going to try now — allowing for almost another head coach on staff, one with autonomy over the offense.
Relying heavily on a power run game, the Seahawks ranked eighth in EPA per rush over the last three years. But Waldron’s offenses also utilize play-action passing at one of the highest clips in the league and it’s resulted in a highly successful passing offense. Seattle was top-10 in passing EPA per dropback, too. (EPA calculations courtesy of NBC Sports Chicago.)
The Seahawks were fifth in yards per play over the last three seasons.
Being so well-rounded makes his scheme hard to prepare for. Waldron’s strength lies in his playcalling and how he’s able to evolve it within games. Formations change and looks vary. That makes it hard to get a beat on the scheme, which makes identifying tendencies hard.
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Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/bears-havent-made-a-qb-decision-but-new-oc-shane-waldron-should-help-regardless
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Publish date : 2024-01-23 21:07:13
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