Chicago Bears Finally Returning To Method Of Hiring OCs That Works For Them

The Chicago Bears have begun their search for a new offensive coordinator after two frustrating seasons with Luke Getsy. It became apparent the young assistant wasn't up to the task. Young players weren't making the progress Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus had hoped for. His playcalling was underwhelming, and he never seemed able to adapt during games when opponents adjusted to what he was doing. If the Bears are going to reach the next level of success, they must find somebody capable of running an offense properly.

Unfortunately, the organization has a long history of struggling to find capable coaches for that spot. Perhaps that is because they don't stick to the method that has worked the most often. One thing clear about the Bears is they aren't any good at plucking unheralded coaches from obscurity. Their most proven course, at least the one that has led to playoff success, involved hiring guys with previous coordinating experience.

• Ed Hughes - 5 years
• Ron Turner (1st stint) - 5 years
• Ron Turner (2nd stint) - 17 years
• Mike Martz - 9 years

Hughes had considerable success during brief stints in San Francisco and New Orleans. His arrival in Chicago in 1982 finally helped balance the team. Turner got the Bears to a playoff win with Steve Walsh in 1994 and coaxed a franchise-best year from Erik Kramer in 1995. Then he returned in 2005 and helped them to three winning seasons and a Super Bowl appearance. Martz, love him or hate him, had Jay Cutler playing winning football in 2010 and 2011.

The Chicago Bears appear to be embracing this approach again.

Each of their choices over the past several years hasn't met this criteria. Dowell Loggains had only one year of experience in Tennessee before getting the job in 2016. Matt Nagy only held the job for two years in Kansas City and didn't call plays for most of that time. Luke Getsy never called plays at all. Based on the early indications from the Bears' latest search, they aim not to make that mistake again.

• Shane Waldron - 3 years calling plays
• Klint Kubiak - 1.5 years calling plays
• Liam Coen - 4 years calling plays
• Greg Olson - 11 years calling plays

They want somebody who has done it before and had some success doing it. For an organization with a weak background in hiring offensive coaches, this approach always made the most sense. More names could join the list. There is a strong likelihood they will meet the same criteria. Then it becomes a matter of picking the one whom the Bears feel fits their vision and can develop the quarterback position.