Bears change offensive coordinators while Caleb Williams struggles

In professional sports, there is only one thing easier than firing the head coach. That means firing an assistant coach, and that’s what the Bears did.

Not surprisingly, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has been made the scapegoat for a three-game losing streak that has dampened the team’s enthusiasm for the arrival of quarterback Caleb Williams. Waldron was fired Tuesday by general manager Ryan Poles, who named Thomas Brown to work alongside struggling head coach Matt Eberflus, whose background is in defense.

Brown, who was the team’s passing game coordinator, becomes the third offensive coordinator in Eberflus’ three seasons. Waldron was hired after serving under Pete Carroll in Seattle.

The Poles surrounded Williams with an offensive lineup that included DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, D’Andre Swift and first-round wide receiver Rome Odunze. But serious issues with the offensive line have limited the offense’s impact.

Williams has been sacked 38 times for the 4-5 Bears, an NFL high, including nine against New England on Sunday and 15 in the last two weeks. It’s a return of the issues that plagued Justin Fields in three seasons before he moved to Pittsburgh.

When the Bears reached 4-2 after consecutive wins over the Jaguars, Panthers and Rams, there was hope in Chicago that Williams could make the playoffs in his rookie season. But ESPN currently gives the Bears a 4 percent chance of winning a wild-card spot.

Their upcoming schedule, which includes many games with NFC North opponents, seems daunting. Green Bay visits Soldier Field on Sunday, followed by games against Minnesota (twice), Detroit (twice) and San Francisco. This six-game stretch should drop them to 6-9 or worse unless there is an immediate turnaround.

Eberflus, who was hired by the Bears just two days after Poles after an ownership search, also could lose his job if the slide continues. This would likely happen after the season ends, as the McCaskey family has been opposed to mid-season changes in the past.

Brown, 38, was Carolina’s offensive coordinator in 2023. He worked for Sean McVay with the Rams for three years, including the ’21 Super Bowl season.

Brown’s mission is to get Williams back on track after a period that may have damaged his confidence. He is averaging 198 yards and has thrown nine touchdowns with five interceptions. Pro Football Focus ranks 34th overall with a passing grade of 57.8, ahead of only Tyler Huntley, Spencer Rattler, Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson and Will Levis.

The Poles made only minor changes to the offensive line, which was viewed as promising, in the offseason. His biggest move in the franchise so far was selecting tackle Darnell Wright with the 10th overall pick in 2023. Injuries to Wright, Braxton Jones, Teven Jenkins, Ryan Bates and Kiram Amegadjie, as well as a lack of contributions from the ’23 free-agent guard Nate Davis has ensured that the series is reshuffled from week to week.

Improving the offensive line will likely be the Bears’ main focus in the offseason. But it’s up to Eberflus and Brown to produce better results with the pieces they have.