Waldron Hire Points Direction Chicago Bears Are Going At QB

It's still January. Nobody wants to think the Chicago Bears have made a decision at quarterback this early. GM Ryan Poles has loads of data to collect. He must interview the incoming prospects during the Senior Bowl, scouting combine, and pro days. There is no way he's already made a decision. Right? Well, it's becoming harder to ignore the warning signs over the past week. It started when USC star quarterback Caleb Williams declared for the 2024 draft. One part of the announcement was he'd be working with veteran quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello to prepare for the NFL.

Things only got more interesting from there. Next, the Bears flew out to Los Angeles for a meeting with Kliff Kingsbury, USC's quarterbacks coach. While it was officially about their offensive coordinator job, most felt it was a deliberate attempt by the team to gather information on Williams. The next domino fell on the 22nd with the hiring of Shane Waldron as their new offensive coordinator. For those who may not know, he and Scangarello have a relationship. Both work for the QB Collective, an organization established by NFL legend Mike Shanahan to help teach the position to younger players.

In fact, the two have literal pictures on the same line of the website together. If you were looking for a direct line between the Bears and Williams, the Waldron hire just established it.

The Chicago Bears have likely studied Williams for years.

West Coast scout Reese Hicks has attended several games. Poles and assistant GM Ian Cunningham no doubt did the same. The Kingsbury meeting means they've been talking to everybody they can who is close to the young quarterback, trying to gauge the type of person and leader he is. Talent isn't a quarterback. Williams is capable of playing in almost any offense. The wide-zone demands a quarterback with a strong arm, mobility, and accuracy from the pocket and on the run. He has all of those traits in abundance. It's been apparent across three seasons as a starter.

They must know if he has the mental toughness and maturity to handle an NFL locker room and one of the largest, most passionate fanbases in football. These recent moves suggest they like what they've seen and heard. Waldron is known for being smart, adaptable, and innovative. He proved in Seattle he can work with different types of quarterbacks, from Russell Wilson to Geno Smith. If anybody has a solid plan for how to get the most from Williams, it would be him. That is likely a big reason the Bears hired him.