National Football League

Bears reportedly hire Shane Waldron as OC. What could it mean for No. 1 pick?

Updated Jan. 22, 2024 12:00 p.m. ET

The Chicago Bears have found their offensive coordinator.

Shane Waldron, who spent the past three seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, is working toward completing a deal to take the same role with the Bears, NFL Media first reported Monday morning.

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Waldron's most notable work came with Geno Smith at quarterback. He helped revive Smith's career in 2022 when he threw for 4,282 yards, 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions with a 100.9 passer rating. Smith's resurgent season helped the Seahawks reach the playoffs and led to him winning the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Smith had another solid season in 2023 under Waldron's guidance, throwing for 3,624 yards, 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions with a 92.1 passer rating. Even though the Seahawks didn't make the postseason, they had a winning record again. Waldron's offenses ranked in the middle of the pack over his three seasons in Seattle, ranking 20th, 13th and 21st in total offense between the 2021-23 campaigns, respectively.

Still, Waldron has been viewed as a coaching commodity because of his work with Smith, along with his four-year experience working under Sean McVay during his time with the Los Angeles Rams (2017-20). The 44-year-old spent most of his early coaching career in college, but he had a stop with the New England Patriots for two seasons, working as their tight ends coach in 2009. He made his way back into the NFL in 2016, working as Washington's offensive assistant that year.

Waldron reportedly beat out Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson, Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown and Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen for the job. He also beat out former Cardinals head coach and current USC offensive analyst Kliff Kingsbury for the role. The Bears' reported decision to interview Kingsbury last week raised eyebrows due to his connection with Caleb Williams, who'll likely be the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft, which the Bears hold.

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But it appears Waldron will now either get the opportunity to work with Williams or potentially play a role in the decision to pass on him and work with Justin Fields. Waldron hasn't worked with Williams like Kingsbury has. However, Waldron and Williams share some development ties. Williams will be working with the QB Collective, a developmental program for young quarterbacks run by NFL coaches and former quarterbacks, as he prepares for the draft. Waldron has worked with the program in the past.

When the Bears announced they fired Luke Getsy, general manager Ryan Poles told reporters that they planned on asking perspective offensive coordinator candidates how they planned to develop Fields or other top quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft.

‘‘I love it,'' Poles said. ‘‘What are you going to do for these … different types of quarterbacks? I want to hear that. And it's really important to see the versatility and the adaptability in their teaching and the way they implement a plan, scheme, adjust.

‘‘I think it actually makes it pretty dynamic in terms of the interview process.''

Regardless of who is at quarterback, the Bears are seeking to improve their passing game in 2024. They ranked dead last in passing offense in 2022 and only improved to 27th in passing offense in 2023 following the addition of DJ Moore.

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Bears coach Matt Eberflus, who Chicago opted to keep for a third season after he was rumored to be on the hot seat, told reporters earlier in January that the team was looking for their next offensive coordinator to be "a great teacher."

"I think that's important because you know he has to coach the coaches to coach the position," Eberflus said. "And I think that's the No. 1 trait of any great coach. You have to be able to have the innovation to really look at the players that you have and be able to help enhance and put those guys in position to succeed and to get explosives and to move the ball down the field."

The Bears technically won't have to make a decision on their quarterback situation until April 25, the first day of the 2024 NFL Draft.