Bear Digest

Factors Favoring Declan Doyle Leaving Bears Work Against Al Harris

Analysis: Experience is a tricky thing in the NFL coaching and coordinator market and it affects two coordinator candidates on the Bears staff differently.
Gene Chamberlain|
Declan Doyle's next step is calling plays and what might be an obstacle to some candidates in Philadelphia isn't for him.
Declan Doyle's next step is calling plays and what might be an obstacle to some candidates in Philadelphia isn't for him. | Chicago Bears On SI Photo: Chicago Bears Video

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Chicago Bears

The danger of the Bears losing offensive coordinator Declan Doyle to the Eagles is a very real one, although maybe not as guaranteed as it might seem to those who always expect the worst.

There is probably less chance of the Bears losing secondary coach Al Harris to Green Bay as defensive coordinator simply based on the experience factor, while the same thing works the opposite way for Doyle with his chance at the Eagles offensive coordinator job.

In Doyle's case, some impressive offensive names were already among the candidates, namely former Giants coach Brian Daboll and former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel. Scratch McDaniel off as he since went to the Chargers as Jim Harbaugh's new offensive coordinator. And while Daboll is still being considered for Buffalo Bills head coach, The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported he won't be the Philadelphia offensive coordinator because he would take the Tennessee coordinator job.

This makes for an easier path for Doyle to get the Eagles job and it does include play-calling duties. So this would be a promotion.

The Eagles requested to interview Dolphins passing game coordinator Bobby Skowik, who had been with Houston before he was in Miami. Longtime NFL coordinator Jim Bob Cooter was also reported as a candidate.

Experienced OCs turn away

For Doyle, it would be a great career move to get those duties in Philadelphia or elsewhere, and there is a reason these more experienced and successful play callers are not getting named Eagles coordinator. It's probably the main reason someone less experienced like Doyle could get it.

Doyle doesn't have the play-calling experience other candidates have but this is less critical considering the situation with the Eagles. It's a factor reportedly causing some of the other experienced candidates to look elsewhere but it wouldn't really be a problem for Doyle.

According to Chase Senior, host of Eagles Now and also 49ers Report, the job, is not being viewed as a peach for offensive coordinator candidates because of the presence of offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland as running game coordinator. 

“Jeff Stoutland is one of most respected offensive line coaches in the history of the NFL, but he’s also the Eagles’ run game coordinator,” Senior wrote. “A lot of OCs want full control of the offense and want to bring in their own run game coordinators to fit their scheme and play-calling, but the Eagles want to keep Stoutland. As they should. He’s a legend.”

There really could be no such resistance from Doyle because he is simply looking for the position to establish himself as a play caller.

It might also be an issue considering head coach Nick Sirianni also is a former play caller, but Doyle is in the position of rising and isn't established. His situation is to land the play-calling job and prove himself.

And, in fact, getting a position where he'd have the benefit of a senior offensive line coach would be similar to what he was working with in Chicago with Dan Roushar.

Having someone of Stoutland's experience assisting could only be a benefit.

The last time the Bears won a division title they lost a coordinator, and the impact was devastating. Their defense was never the same after Vic Fangio left, but losing Doyle could hardly be considered a similar situation because of Fangio's experience level.  The Bears could handle such a loss.

Considering the unusually high number of head coach openings, even if Doyle somehow doesn't get the Eagles job there should be plenty of opportunities this cycle.

Prodigal son or experience?

Losing Harris as defensive backs coach would seem a disaster because they were No. 1 at taking away the ball, and some players who had struggled in the past came into their own under Harris, like Nahshon Wright.

However, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen had defenses in New Orleans perennially in the top 10 in takeaways and his expertise is as a DB coach and as a former DB. He'd be able to find a suitable replacement.

Beyond that, and despite Packers fans loving the thought of their former star player returning to coordinate the defense, there are strong factors working against that.

When Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur hired defensive coordinators in the past, he sought experience. Among the candidates is Jonathan Gannon, the former Cardinals head coach and Eagles defensive coordinator.

Just as important is the fact there are former defensive coordinators available with past ties to LaFleur, like former Falcons head coach and Rams assistant Raheem Morris. LaFleur and Morris were together on Washington's staff early last decade.

Harris is 51 already and hasn't been a coordinator, but taking him from the Bears would be somewhat of a coup for LaFleur. Still, the past says the Packers coach will want to turn his defense over to someone with a proven track record for strategic defensive success like when he hired Jeff Hafley.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.