The Chicago Bears moved on from Shane Waldron and promoted Thomas Brown to offensive coordinator.
This is actually the second year in a row that Brown has taken on play-calling duties for someone who has been fired.
What could Brown show this time around that would make the team want to stick with him moving forward?
3. Chicago Bears need to get the run game going
If D’Andre Swift is not churning out splash plays, the run game has little to nothing going for it. This is a bad way to help the rookie quarterback. Thomas Brown can immediately come in and make this better.
This is arguably the specialty of Brown, who not only was a former running back, but he had been a running backs coach at various stops from 2012 to 2021. In college, he coached big names such as Sony Michel, Nick Chubb, and Melvin Gordon. When he was Miami's running back coach, four players went pro, and two South Carolina runners went pro under him, including Rico Dowdle.
That type of production in college is what got him involved with Sean McVays running backs. In almost every stop that Brown has been to, the run game has improved. The Bears have a lot of improving to do, and while a lot of the focus will be on the quarterback, this could end up being the thing that saves the rookie signal caller.
2. The Chicago Bears need to utilize their wide receivers in better ways
Shane Waldron was slowly figuring things out with the Bears' offense, but a lot of those things were too obvious. Playing Cole Kmet over Gerald Everett should not have taken a few weeks to figure out. He was slowly getting the receivers involved, but it was also too little and too late.
Keenan Allen has lost a step, but the Bears are not helping him either. He has had his highest deep ball target rate since 2019. He has lost a step over the years, and was always better underneath, so of course, Waldron has him running deep.
D.J. Moore is a deep ball receiver, but they are using him on too many screens and not using Rome Odunze enough in general.
Brown may focus on the run game, but a lot of these changes are easy, and it is surprising that some of them had to be made in the first place. If Thomas Brown can just do some simple things, it could result in a much better offense.
1. Caleb Williams has to show real growth
This is obvious. We can lie all we want and say that if the run game and the receivers look better he has a shot. If Odunze gets twice as many targets, and Caleb Williams still cannot complete them, it may make fans a lot more worried, but it will not help Thomas Brown keep his job.
Putting the receivers in a better positon, and getting a better run game is important, though. They can be what makes life so much easier for Williams, and that is what Williams needs the most right now. Waldron was putting a lot on his plate and he is debating between going full-on play maker or playing within a structure. He is thinking too much and not reacting and you can see it in his play.
His deep ball accuracy was never an issue in college and now all of the sudden it has become one of his worst traits. It is because he is taking shots, but not seeing or trusting what he is doing.
Williams has raw talent, but even as a number one overall pick, this is a rookie we are talking about. The pieces are not great, but when every single player is not living up to their potential, it is probably the coach.
If Brown can come in and make easy decisions and Williams shows growth and potential, the odds of him sticking around shoot up exponentially. Why would the Bears want to break the continuity if it is working? There is a lot at stake here for Brown, and it may be more achievable than some fans think.