What the Bears' OC change does (and doesn't) mean for the Packers

The Bears fired OC Shane Waldron less than a week before hosting the Packers. That decision affects Green Bay, but likely not in the way Chicago hopes.

As though the biannual regular-season meeting between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears needed more intrigue, this Sunday's iteration gained some spice courtesy of a coaching change. On Tuesday, the Bears announced the firing of embattled offensive coordinator Shane Waldron.

"After evaluating our entire operation, I decided that it is in the best interest of our team to move in a different direction with the leadership of our offense," Chicago head coach Matt Eberflus said in a team press release. "This decision was well-thought-out, one that was conducted deliberately and respectfully. I would like to thank Shane for his efforts and wish him the best moving forward."

The move comes after Waldron's offense produced zero touchdowns over the last two games and just 10 first-quarter points all season. Caleb Williams, the quarterback taken No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, had regressed over the past month, raising concerns about his long-term outlook. With few signs of progress and mounting concerns about the entire Bears regime, Eberflus dismissed Waldron and installed passing-game coordinator Thomas Brown as the interim replacement.

Waldron now becomes the second offensive coordinator fired during the 2024 season. The other, the Las Vegas Raiders' Luke Getsy, spent the previous two years as the Bears' OC before getting the axe this past January. It doesn't bode well for Eberflus' job security that both of the coaches he tabbed to lead Chicago's offense have flamed out in ignominious fashion.

From the Packers' perspective, an opponent making a coordinator change less than a week before the game represents somewhat of a mixed bag. Certainly, the fact that the Bears changed OCs in the first place highlights the futility the unit has experienced this season. Still, the move presents some complications for Green Bay this weekend.