When you thought the Chicago Bears season could not get much worse, the team somehow found a way to make that happen. The Bears had an awful day of updates when the team met with the media on Wednesday before week three.
What were the big takeaways from Matt Eberflus, Justin Fields, Braxton Jones, and Alan Williams.
3. The Chicago Bears have no update on their defensive coordinator
The Chicago Bears spent week two without their defensive coordinator. Matt Eberflus said that Williams would not be with the team but would not clarify more. This happens at times for personal reasons, so it was not a huge shock, but when Williams was not with the team again this week, questions arose.
Matt Eberflus had no updates to give.
#Bears HC Matt Eberflus is asked about Alan Williams, the team's defensive coordinator pic.twitter.com/414m53cpjX
— Barroom Network (@BarroomNetwork) September 20, 2023
This is a bit confusing. Eberflus would not differentiate if this was performance-related or personal, although it is hard to see the time firing him quietly after just one week. It seems personal. However, now, the questions are being raised about just how serious this is. Bill Zimmerman, a friend of the site, had this to say.
The story I'm hearing around Alan Williams, if true, is shocking.
— Bill Zimmerman (@BillTZimmerman) September 20, 2023
I would not expect him to ever return to the Chicago Bears.
It has nothing to do with his coaching performance.
Zimmerman has been known to be reputable and not put things out there that turn out to be wrong. This, along with the extended absence, has fans wondering if Alan Williams will even be back this season. If it was football-related, the team would have addressed this, and there would have been more to come out.
This makes you feel like Williams did something wrong and that we may have to wait for the actual news to report this. This continues to go against Matt Eberflus, who has shied away from some players to build a culture but has no signs of a strong culture in the locker room.
2. The Chicago Bears will place Braxton Jones on IR
Possibly the worst news on the field to come out of Halas Hall was seeing Braxton Jones get placed on the IR. 2022 was a huge season for the fifth-round pick. As a rookie, he started and played every game, which is impressive. He is better than his draft stock, but we are still not sure how good he is.
He had moments of solid play but also gave up an easy sack in week two. Jones has had far too many penalties as well. The big issue with Jones going to the IR with a neck injury is that it may be season-ending. If this is it for Jones, does he start next year, or do the Bears replace him?
Also, what do they do at left tackle? Larry Borom is the swing tackle, but he has spent almost all of his career on the right side. Is this a time to move Darnell Wright to the left tackle and not look back? Do the Chicago Bears sign a tackle to step in, or does Larry Borom get the rest of the season to start? These are not the questions a 0-2 wants to be asking.
1. Justin Fields has had enough of the Chicago Bears coaching
Justin Fields has played poorly the first two weeks. Anyone can see that he is playing robotic. However, to hear him say it was something. It is good that he is this self-aware, but the rest of his answer brings a lot of question marks.
Justin Fields didn’t hold back.
— Dave (@dave_bfr) September 20, 2023
Must watch. I love it. pic.twitter.com/bLMrdGXpKP
Justin Fields went onto explain that he feels he is trying to take coaching too hard, and he is thinking too much and not playing. This sounds like an indictment of the coaching staff, and it is, but it is also an indictment on Fields.
Yes, the staff is not helping his chances. At the same time, at some point a successful NFL player has to take to coaching. Fields is saying that he is thinking too much, but football will require being a step ahead and thinking. Fields is good enough to just play at times, but if he does not play in structure at all, the team will still lose, it will just be a little more fun.
Fields has to play more loosely, but he also has to stick to the script more. Luke Getsy cannot just call the run around and make a play out of nowhere play; that is not actually in the playbook.
Seeing Fields come to this statement so early shows the signs that he is feeling the pressure and sees the talk about him. He knows he has to spin the narrative a bit. This is alarming beyond just the coaching staff because it shows that Fields is not ready to take that step but rather worries about why the failing.