One thing this Chicago Bears regime talked about from the beginning was establishing a culture of accountability. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus didn’t want a building filled with people who pointed fingers at others when things went wrong. Guys need to hold themselves to a higher standard. That meant having enough self-respect and awareness to admit when they make mistakes. It would be interesting to see if new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron fits that profile.
It didn’t take long to find an answer to that. Waldron didn’t have the best first game for the Bears. His offense appeared off-kilter throughout opening day against the Tennessee Titans. They couldn’t sustain drives or score points. The run game was stymied, and quarterback Caleb Williams was erratic. Yet perhaps the most puzzling development was Waldron’s personnel usage. Tight end Cole Kmet, one of the Bears’ best weapons, only played 28 snaps. Meanwhile, his backup, Gerald Everett, played 34. When asked to explain, Waldron admitted some of that was mismanagement on his part.
“We know Cole is one of the top tight ends in the league. He does a great job for us. He has done nothing but the right thing ever since I’ve been around him. So, that’s more on us, starting with me, getting the reps a little bit more balance. But it also goes back to playing efficient football. And when we’re doing that, not getting titled out of some of the plays we wanted going into that game.”
People need to remember he’s installing a brand new offense with totally different personnel than what he had in Seattle. Also, don’t forget he spent his three years there working with nothing but veteran quarterbacks. He is now dealing with a rookie, and that comes with a new set of challenges. He probably expected a smoother operation than what the Bears achieved and had personnel packages in mind that Kmet would’ve been a part of. Unfortunately, the constant punts threw everything out the window.
Moving forward, getting Kmet more involved is a must. He is too talented of a player not to. Shane Waldron isn’t dumb. Making adjustments to do this shouldn’t be too difficult, especially with two of his wide receivers nursing injuries. It will probably take a few weeks before the Bears find that sweet spot in personnel deployment. Kmet should be a key part of the attack. He already has Williams’ trust. The key is finding creative ways to get him more involved.
