30 Most Important Bears of 2022: No. 3 Luke Getsy

The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the 2022 NFL season, which features plenty of new and returning faces within the organization. There are a number of players, coaches and front office members that are crucial to the team’s success this season.

Every day from now until the start of training camp, we’re counting down our 30 most important Bears for the 2022 season. We’ll recap their 2021 season, look ahead to 2022 and tackle the biggest question facing them this year.

At No. 3 is first-year offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, who is tasked with implementing a new offensive scheme for the Bears.

Background

May 6, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers receivers coach Luke Getsy during rookie minicamp. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORK

Position: Offensive coordinator

Age: 38

Experience: 8th season

2022 cap hit: N/A

2021 recap

Oct 28, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy talks to Aaron Rodgers (12) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Getsy first started out in coaching at the college ranks, most notably at schools such as Pitt, his alma mater of Akron, and Western Michigan. He moved to the pros in 2014 when he joined the Green Bay Packers as an offensive quality control coach. From there, he spent time as the team’s quality control and receivers coach and after a brief stint at Mississippi State, returned to the Packers, settling in as the quarterbacks coach in 2019.

As the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator under Matt LeFleur, Getsy worked closely with Aaron Rodgers, who wound up winning back-to-back MVPs the last two seasons. It’s odd to say, but Green Bay enjoyed a bit of a renaissance at the quarterback position, with Rodgers playing some of the best football of his career.

In 2021, the Packers passing offense was in the top 10 of the NFL during yet another NFL North title run and Rodgers was as efficient as he could be, leading the league in quarterback rating and QBR for the second year in a row. Getsy was also instrumental in getting running backs Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams, and AJ Dillon involved in the passing game over the last few seasons. Now, Getsy will take those plans and work to implement them with the Bears offense in 2022.

2022 outlook

Jun 8, 2022; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) warms up during organized team activities at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Getsy has advanced as an offensive coach over the last few years and now gets his toughest assignment yet as the Bears offensive coordinator, tasked with reshaping a unit that has been at the bottom of most statistical categories over the last two seasons. Too often, game plans were ineffective and poor plays were being called at the wrong time, causing issues for the players on the field. Getsy has a prime opportunity to right all of those wrongs.

Getsy will likely be using concepts from the Shanahan offense that he came from, such as the outside-zone running scheme. But more importantly, he’s focused on utilizing his players strengths and cater the offense to what they do best. In the case of Justin Fields, for example, that could mean leaning on his mobility and strong arm to move the pocket, something the old coaching staff wasn’t keen on doing.

The offense is likely going to lean on the ground game with David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert to open up the passing game. But the game plans will be more purposeful and while growing pains are likely going to happen, the Bears offense should look strong by the end of the season.

Big question: Can Getsy be an effective playcaller?

Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy during practice at Clarke Hinkle Field on Wednesday, May 29, 2019 in Ashwaubenon, Wis.
Gpg Packers Practice 052919 Abw764

Truthfully, there are about a thousand different questions we can ask when it comes to Getsy and the offense. Even something as simple as “will it work?” But Getsy has done well developing talent and working with players across multiple position groups. His football IQ is impressive and he’s saying all the right things with wanting to build an offense that works with the players in the building. But building an offense calling the right plays at the right time are two separate things.

Getsy has never called plays at the professional level and to add that responsibility to his plate while also teaching players about a brand new system could cause problems and confusion, at least to start. Calling plays is like playing a guitar solo in the middle of a song. You know how to play all of the notes on their own, but you have to put them in an order and sequence that is pleasing for the audience. The same goes for knowing what plays to call at the right time of a game.

Getsy knows all of the notes, he just needs to string them together to make sure the right one is called at the appropriate time. Like the team needing to learn his offense, getting a feel for playcalling will take some time, but it should improve as the season wears one.

30 Most Important Bears of 2022

We’re counting down our 30 Most Important Bears of 2022. Check back every day leading up to the start of training camp.

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