This is a tough blow: the Chicago Bears are expected to hire former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, a top candidate in the New Orleans Saints’ search for their next play caller. Pens haven’t been put to paper but multiple reports suggest that final formality is in the works. Waldron is off the market.
Waldron was the best-qualified candidate the Saints reached out to interview in recent days given his success in Seattle and proximity to Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay (who Waldron worked under from 2017 to 2020, before being hired away by the Seahawks).
It makes sense that he wanted to go to Chicago, where he’ll have the ability to tailor his offense to Justin Fields or share input on which rookie quarterback prospect the Bears should pick with the first overall pick in the 2024 draft. That’s a more appealing opportunity than trying to sustain Derek Carr’s strong finish to the 2023 season after an embarrassingly poor start.
He was also the oldest at 44; the other candidates the Saints are reportedly pursuing are between 37 and 35 years old. So now the Saints will pivot to those other options and maybe consider more people from outside the building. Stay tuned.
