Bears interview Declan Doyle for offensive coordinator |
Get ready for plenty of coaching candidate stories this week as Ben Johnson starts to line up interviews.
Although he has plenty of open spots on his staff to fill, the offensive coordinator position remains one of the most important vacancies and one that Johnson will take seriously. Sure, he ultimately is expected to call the plays, but he still wants to find someone who fits what he wants to do to help with game planning and putting the Bears in a great position to win. Today, it's all about Declan Doyle, who will get his interview on Saturday, according to reports. When discussing experience, which Johnson is looking for with most of his coaches, Doyle isn't the most experienced coach, as he is just 28. However, he got his start in coaching under Sean Payton, so he has already worked with one of the best minds in the game. Doyle served as the Saints offensive assistant from 2019-2022 and had the privilege of working with Payton and spending time with future Hall of Famer Drew Brees. When Payton took the Head Coach opening with Denver, he made it a point to target some of his staff members as Doyle followed him to the Mile High City, where he served as the tight ends Coach the past two seasons. In recent weeks, we have been discussing the connection factor, with most of the coaches being interviewed somehow having a connection to Johnson. Although Doyle may not have a personal connection to Johnson, he does have two years of experience with Dan Campbell, as they were on the same New Orleans staff in 2019-20. Any hiring decision involving a young coach without much play-calling experience comes with risk. As you saw, the Bears know firsthand how much of a struggle it was for Luke Getsy and Shane Waldron. Ironically, Waldron only made it nine weeks into the season before being fired, which is a shock, given that he had multiple years of play-calling experience before arriving in Chicago. Doyle may not have any experience, but it is worth noting that he has worked under Payton for as long as he has. Say what you will about the Bounty Gate scandal, which suspended him for one season. The bottom line is that Payton is one of the best coaches in the game today, and he continues to prove that. Look at what he has done with the Broncos in just two seasons. He inherited a team struggling to win games, rebuilt the roster in one year, and made the playoffs this season with a rookie quarterback in Bo Nix. Things like that don't happen unless you know how to coach, and Payton knows how. There is a reason Campbell has become the coach he has been. Under Payton, he learned what to do and what not to do, and he has taken that to a new level since being appointed Head Coach of the Lions. Sure, he may be overly aggressive at times, which backfires at times, but that is the coach he is, and Detroit isn't going to change that. Some fans are concerned that Johnson may have picked up some of that aggressive nature under Campbell and use that style next season. That is a valid concern, but in an era where the game is more analytically driven, is it that bad of an idea for him to get aggressive? Doyle may not have the same aggressive nature that some of these coordinators have, but he must be highly respected to get the looks he is getting. Landing an offensive job at such a young age is huge for him and opens the door for a new era of coaches. Expect the candidates to keep rolling in over the next few weeks, as Johnson needs to get this hire right.
