The Chicago Bears hired Shane Waldron, who was looked at as one of the most sought-after offensive coordinators available this offseason. While the move may not signal exactly what the Bears will do at quarterback, it does at least give us a hint of where they are going with the offense. With that in mind, fans should expect them to move on from Justin Fields. Here is why.
3. A rookie quarterback gives Shane Waldron more job security
As noted, Waldron was a sought-after candidate. He interviewed with other teams and would have had other offers. Instead, he took the Chicago Bears job. Now, put yourself in his shoes and think which job is more appealing.
The first job is a fourth-year quarterback who has been up and down his entire career, and most of his success has been running the ball. The clock is ticking on his contract, and coming in with him as the quarterback would either mean adjusting your offense to his skills or adjusting his playing style on the fly. That sounds taxing with the clock ticking.
On the flip side, a rookie quarterback means time to develop. There are multiple options near the top of the board, and the Bears can build the offense around whoever they choose. If the rookie is up and down next year, there are no massive consequences, such as a contract extension for Fields. There is more time and patience.
Beyond that, while Fields fell to 11 in his own draft, this will be the top pick in a quarterback-heavy draft. Maybe Waldron was not hired for a specific quarterback, but he did not take this job to take on a project; he took this job because he had eyes on the top quarterback prospect in the draft.