Did the Chicago Bears give away their initial plan at quarterback, and we all missed it? It could be because the two offensive systems between Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay are so similar and completely different that we all missed it. It also could be because the two or three potential quarterback options for the Bears next season are similar but completely different. Hear me out.
Between Caleb Williams, Justin Fields, and Drake Maye, they are all similar-styled players. They are mobile, have cannons for arms, and are strong for their respective sizes. The difference is Williams is the most accurate passer. Maye is the most willing to attack the middle of the field. Fields is the best athlete. Every single one of the traits is a strength in the Waldron/Mcvay offense. Only two (Williams and Maye) fit the Getsy/Shananah systems.
I want to stress the two coaching trees because while the offensive structure is similar, the two coaches run their systems differently from each other. Kyle Shanahan has worked with Matt Ryan, Jimmy Garoppolo, Trey Lance, and Brock Purdy as planned starters. The athletic guy couldn't make the cut. It still makes me wonder who really wanted Lance and Mac Jones. Either way, they could have drafted Justin Fields but didn't, so that makes me think the passing ability was far more important than the athletic ability. Sean McVay has worked with Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford as planned starters.
Different style yet similar thought offense
The Chicago Bears ex-coordinator Luke Getsy worked with Aaron Rodgers, while Shane Waldron worked with Jared Goff, Russell Wilson, and Geno Smith. The biggest takeaway between the two coaches is one relies on quick processing while the other forces it. Here is what I mean by that. Remember the rumors about how McVay helped Goff before the headset termination time limit? I know, I know. McVay stated that it was a standard operation for each play. It is funny that when the Chicago Bears played at home against Goff, he would struggle due to the new sirens added.
Sounds like someone couldn't hear his coach help him along. Even more interesting is how the Rams moved off Goff after things didn't seem like he could get them to the next level. I don't want to get too far off-topic. McVay and Waldron run a lot of bootlegs and play action to cut the field in half. Instead of having a large mix of formations, the McVay scheme believes in using the same formations with a large variant of plays. It's much different from what we witnessed with Matt Nagy, who couldn't run a similar formation in the same game to save his life.
Luke Getsy had some issues with multiple formations as well. The constant miscommunication between Justin Fields and his teammates was annoying. Had they only had to worry about a few formations, that could allow them to play faster. Now, the question you might be wondering? Which quarterback does this fit? Honestly, all of them. Caleb Williams is obsessed with creating a play with his scrambling ability. Fields excels at getting outside of the pocket, where he could threaten teams with his rushing ability.
The Chicago Bears quarterback waits
Drake Maye and JJ McCarthy can extend plays while attacking the middle of the field. Jayden Daniels has an interesting combination between Fields and Maye with less arm strength. Did I mention that Daniels reminds me of Nick Foles but with wheels? This offseason should be one of the more fun for being a Bears fan, yet all we are doing is arguing about who the quarterback of the future should become.
It doesn't matter if this team gets more pieces and the coaching problems on offense are fixed. The NFL Combine and the 2024 free agency period should show what Ryan Poles will do next. For the Caleb Williams fans, try not to become overly obsessed with him. The same goes for the Justin Fields fans. It might not be either of them. I wouldn't be shocked if Ryan Poles traded the #1 overall draft pick for Marvin Harrison Jr and drafted a quarterback at #9 while trading or keeping Justin Fields.
What we know about Ryan Poles is that he believes in building the team for the present and the future. That is why I don't think Poles will keep the #1 overall pick. It isn't about the prospect. Ryan Poles doesn't intend to go 7-10 with a rookie quarterback next season. It could be a rookie quarterback, but he would aim for the playoffs regardless. I don't know about you, but I am excited. The future is now, and Ryan Poles knows it.
Editor's note: Justin Fields was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday. Details of the trade can be found here.