The Chicago Bears appear to be close to making their first significant addition of the offseason, one that will only create more speculation regarding their plans for the No. 1 overall pick. They are “working towards a deal” to bring in Shane Waldron as the team’s new offensive coordinator, according NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Waldron, a longtime football assistant who first rose to prominence as the Los Angeles Rams passing game coordinator when they advanced to the Super Bowl in 2018-19, has been the Seattle Seahawks OC for the past three seasons. His tenure is a mixed bag that featured the unforeseen emergence of quarterback Geno Smith in 2022 and considerable struggles in 2023.

Injuries admittedly played a role in the Seahawks’ regression this past season, with Smith and running back Kenneth Walker III each missing a couple games each, but they did boast one of the better crops of offensive talent in the NFC. Chicago cannot afford to miss on this potential hiring decision.

The Bears made strides late in the year before ending the campaign on a flat note versus the Green Bay Packers in Week 18. Unequivocal improvement must be achieved in 2024. Moral victories simply won’t suffice anymore.

General manager Ryan Poles enters a must-succeed offseason that will center around the top selection in April’s NFL Draft. Former USC QB and Heisman winner Caleb Williams is currently the consensus choice for the No. 1 slot, but if Shane Waldron is officially named the new offensive coordinator, many fans will draw different presumptions.

He brought out the best of Geno Smith, at least for a while, so perhaps Chicago believes he can do the same for Justin Fields. Either way, Waldron’s expected role with the Bears will be a crucial one in what needs to be a watershed year for the franchise.