Bears hire new passing game coordinator Thomas Brown |
It was another day at Halas Hall on Tuesday, and another coaching hire as Shane Waldron continued to piece together his offensive staff. This time, his hire comes with more questions than answers as Thomas Brown is leaving the Carolina Panthers to join the Chicago Bears as their new passing game coordinator.
What makes this somewhat of a questionable hire is that Brown initially interviewed for the Bears offensive coordinator open a few weeks ago after serving as the Panthers offensive coordinator this season. You saw how poorly that offense performed, so perhaps the Bears felt he was better suited for a different position, but when you look at how Bryce Young performed this season, you have to question how he will be able to handle Justin Fields and the rest of this offense. On the plus side, he is joining a staff that already has Chris Beatty, Kerry Joseph, and Waldron, so at least Brown has some good minds to work with. You can also look at the connection that Brown and Waldron have as both worked under Sean McVay in Los Angeles for a short period, so Waldron must believe in what Brown can do for this offense. Having connections in this league is just part of the battle, as the more connections you have, the better opportunities you will get to latch on to a team. Like many coaches in the league today, Brown is a former player turned coach as he has become a football lifer. Although yet to hold a significant role apart from the offensive coordinator opportunity he had last season, Brown played a massive role in the overall success of the Rams offense during their 2021 Superbowl run. That alone is an intriguing note as he took over for Waldron that season and built on what McVay and that coaching staff were preaching. In other words, Brown has been part of a successful offense and knows the right buttons to push to get to that level. Of course, having the right personnel around helps any coach, and the bottom line is that Brown never had the right personnel in Carolina, which is why the offense struggled so much. Before joining the Rams, Brown coached at various schools, including the University of South Carolina, Miami Hurricanes, and the University of Georgia. He coached running backs such as Sony Michel, Nick Chubb, Melvin Gordon, Mark Walton, and Travis Homer. Brown’s teams consistently had successful rushing attacks, ranking among the top rushing offenses in the league. Given that his teams love to run the football, you can see why Waldron wanted him to join his staff as the Bears continue to feature one of the best rushing attacks in the league, although they did take a small step back this season. While most fans will be on the fence about this hire, especially when you look at how bad Carolina was, he does have play-calling experience, which any coaching staff can use. Even if he isn't calling the plays, he can still have an input, especially on passing plays, knowing that he has called plays in the past. Another reason you have to like this hire is although he may be the team's passing coordinator, he also has a ton of experience coaching running backs, which has to come into play. Chicago is still looking for an RB coach for their upcoming season, and there is a chance that Brown could hold that role along with his passing game responsibilities. That may not be the ideal situation, but it wouldn't be the end of the world, as he knows how to work with some of the league's best RBs. The Bears had a plan when interviewing coaches this offseason, as most came from the McVay and Kyle Shannahan tree. You had to think Chicago would end up with several names from that tree, and you are starting to see that now. Brown is another name that comes from that tree that you can add to the staff. Matt Eberflus knew he needed to improve this staff, and after adding Waldron, you can see how crucial it is to have a great staff around you.
