This Shane Waldron stat should concern the Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles worked overtime to revamp the offensive supporting cast this season. A generational talent was selected at No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft in quarterback Caleb Williams. Poles then supported Williams by acquiring weapons like Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, Gerald Everett, and D’Andre Swift throughout the offseason.

The man tasked with bringing Chicago’s offense together is new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. Matt Eberflus’ new OC appeared to have done an admirable job with the Seattle Seahawks in recent years, even getting the career of quarterback Geno Smith back on track. Waldron is a Sean McVay disciple, having previously worked under him with the Los Angeles Rams.

One Waldron stat is currently floating around social media that creates cause for concern. Offenses are often graded on their efficiency. The ability to convert red-zone trips into touchdowns separates great offenses from average ones.

It turns out that Waldron’s Seahawks struggled mightily in the red-zone last season. A metric that measures the percentage amount of how many third-or-fourth-and-shorts (one-to-three yards-to-go) were converted into first downs or touchdowns ranked Seattle dead-last in the league. Waldron’s offense turned just 25% of short-yardage opportunities in the red zone into a new set of downs or a score.

Offensive % of 1st Downs or Touchdowns on 3rd/4th Down & Short (1-3 yds) in the Red Zone in 2023

ARI – 76.5%
BUF – 69.0%
DET – 68.2%
CLE – 63.6%
NOR – 58.8%
LVR – 57.9%
GNB – 57.1%
PHI – 56.0%
KAN – 54.8%
LAC – 52.9%
CAR – 50.0%
MIA – 50.0%
BAL – 50.0%
SFO – 47.8%
LAR – 46.7%…

— Brian Nemhauser (@hawkblogger) July 11, 2024

Ironically enough, the Bears fared considerably better in this department under Luke Getsy last season, securing a 19th-place finish at 43.8%. Of course getting to the red-zone with consistency was a separate issue as the Bears managed 21.2 points per contest. The Seahawks were marginally better at 21.4 points per outing.

This statistic isn’t the end-all-be-all. The Arizona Cardinals topped the list at 76.5% despite finishing 4-13. It’s simply a factoid worth monitoring as Waldron attempts to establish an elite offense in Chicago, one that takes advantage of its red-zone opportunities.