Caleb Williams checked own film as OC Shane Waldron didn't coach Bears rookie: Report
From Shane Waldron to Matt Eberflus, Caleb Williams was let down by his coaching, many analysts have argued. However, there might not have been a concrete example of how the coaches came up short outside of questionable play calls and timeout usage.
Now, at least one story has emerged accusing former Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron of neglecting what would seem to be a core responsibility to get his rookie quarterback up to speed.
Speaking on "Making Monsters" via Black and Teal, Taylor Doll said on the podcast that Williams had to try to hire "somebody" to teach him how to study film and what to look for.
"He built his own film study room in his house and was calling to try and hire somebody, because Shane Waldron was not working with him, and like, after games and going over film, yeah. So Caleb wants to learn. Caleb wants to get better," Doll said.
Ouch. For an offensive coordinator looking to make a good first impression since getting hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars, the timing of the accusation seemingly could not be much worse. Going forward, Waldron might want to make film study with Trevor Lawrence a top priority.
Of course, as a pass game coordinator, his opportunities to do so might not be as plentiful, but going forward, pulling out every stop to help Trevor Lawrence can only help a future campaign to get back into a coordinator role.
Shane Waldron's shortcoming makes Ben Johnson's top priority clear
The Bears offensive coordinator allegedly left Williams scrambling to figure out stuff on his own. As a result, the team won just five games. To avoid a similar result next year, it will require Ben Johnson doing what Waldron seemingly did not.
While Johnson undoubtedly has more on his plate than Waldron did on his, it falls on the Chicago Bears head coach to make coaching up Williams a top priority. Many times, a team will rise or fall depending on how their quarterback plays. If Williams is left to figure out the NFL by himself, the result could be similar in 2025 and beyond.
If nothing else, Johnson's top goal most likely should be to get Williams some legs to stand on. Once Williams is comfortable, everything comes after that.