Changes were always coming to the Chicago Bears this off-season. It was merely a matter of how big they'd be. Head coach Matt Eberflus managed to save his job with the defense's resurgence and a 7-6 finish to the year. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy wasn't so fortunate. His failure to elevate the passing game and valid criticisms of his poor adaptability led to his dismissal. Players were clearly getting frustrated with him. That began to manifest after the latest loss to the Green Bay Packers.
So, the decision was made to make a change. Now, the Bears are compiling a list of candidates to replace him. One can safely assume they will meet with a handful of them, hoping to land somebody credible despite Eberflus' uncertain status beyond 2024. Here are the names to watch.
There are plenty of options for the Bears to replace Luke Getsy.
Eberflus connections:
Frank Reich
People will immediately shout this idea down because of what happened in Carolina. It's been well-established that Reich got handed a raw deal. History shows he is actually a competent offensive coordinator, winning a Super Bowl in Philadelphia and getting solid results as the playcaller while head coach in Indianapolis. Some believe he is contemplating retirement, though.
Jerrod Johnson
A former journeyman quarterback, Johnson transitioned to coaching in 2017. He joined the Colts staff alongside Eberflus in 2019, working there for three years. Now, he is the quarterbacks coach in Houston, overseeing the rapid development of rookie sensation C.J. Stroud. It isn't hard to understand why he'd garner interest. His lack of experience as a playcaller would be a risk.
Veteran options:
Darrell Bevell
If you want experience, few options exist with a longer track record. Bevell got arguably the best season out of Brett Favre's career in 2009. From there, he won a Super Bowl in Seattle while molding Russell Wilson into a star. He had Matthew Stafford playing some of his best football in Detroit in 2019 and 2020. Lately, he's helped mold Tua Tagovailoa into one of the NFL's leading passers with Miami. The guy is well-traveled and has seen everything. If anybody will have a good plan for a young QB, it's him.
Eric Bieniemy
Everybody knows the name by now. Bieniemy was a crucial figure in molding Patrick Mahomes into the new face of the NFL. They won two Super Bowls and two MVPs together. Then, for good measure, Bieniemy went to Washington, where he squeezed 4,000 yards out of former 5th round pick Sam Howell. He's known for being strict on details and unafraid to drive his players hard. That feels like something the Bears didn't get enough of from Luke Getsy.
Kellen Moore
People around the league continue to say Moore is one of the more innovative playcallers in the business. He had great success in Dallas for four seasons and did pretty well in Los Angeles this year before Justin Herbert got hurt. As a former quarterback, he understands how to create advantages in the passing game. He's also crafted solid rushing attacks too. Many feel he was unfairly run out of town by the Cowboys. It is hard to imagine he wouldn't be an asset to either Fields or a rookie.
System continuity:
Shane Waldron
Word came out the Bears hope to meet with Waldron. That isn't a surprise. For one, he's had three solid years running the offense in Seattle, getting Geno Smith to a Pro Bowl in 2022. As a disciple of Sean McVay, he has a deep understanding of the wide-zone offense Chicago has been running with Getsy for the past two years. The difference with Waldron is he appears to be a far more capable playcaller. That could be the decisive difference that can take this offense to the next level.
Klint Kubiak
News dropped via ESPN that the Bears will also be meeting with him. Gary Kubiak is considered one of the original pioneers of the wide-zone alongside Mike Shanahan. Klint is his son and grew up learning the offense. He even got the chance to run it in 2021 as Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator. It went well. Kirk Cousins had the third-highest passer rating of his career. Dalvin Cook had over 1100 yards rushing despite missing three games. Sadly, his time on the job was cut short when Mike Zimmer got fired. Kubiak has landed on his feet in San Francisco as their new passing game coordinator.
Liam Coen
Another understudy of McVay, Coen spent four seasons working with the Rams head coach. Unlike other notable former assistants, though, he brings play-calling experience to the table. Will Levis had the best season of his college career in 2021 under Coen's direction. This past season, he revived the career of former N.C. State quarterback Devin Leary who threw 25 touchdowns despite far worse options in the passing game. He certainly qualifies if you're looking for a bold, out-of-the-box idea. To be fair, Luke Getsy was exactly that. At least with Coen, he'd bring actual experience.
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