Bear Digest

Ben Johnson Could Look to Replace Declan Doyle With an Old Friend

Ben Johnson could tap back into his days in Detroit to find the next branch of his coaching tree.
Jerry Markarian|
Detroit Lions pass game coordinator Tanner Engstrand watches practice at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025.
Detroit Lions pass game coordinator Tanner Engstrand watches practice at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

One day after losing their assistant general manager to the Falcons, the Bears lost their offensive coordinator to the Ravens.

Declan Doyle might have only been in Chicago for one season, but he made a strong impression. So strong, in fact, that he was considered a favorite for the offensive coordinator jobs for two of the top teams in the league over the past decade, the Eagles and Ravens.

While he removed his name from consideration for Philadelphia's OC job, he accepted the role with the Ravens today.

Doyle seemed to be open to returning to Chicago (which is presumably why he passed up the Eagles OC job), but the opportunity to call plays, which was something that he was never going to do in Chicago, for a two-time MVP in Lamar Jackson was simply too tantalizing for him to pass up.

It will also give Jackson someone he can relate to on an intimate level... considering he and his new offensive coordinator are both the same age (29).

Interestingly, both players are three years younger than the Ravens' starting running back and second-best player, Derrick Henry. Whoever said the running back position was a young man's game was clearly WRONG.

Where do the Bears go next?

First off, they are in a much better position than they otherwise would be with Ben Johnson calling the shots. He's not only an offensive coach, but he's an offensive mastermind. He handles the offensive installs every week. He calls the plays. And he runs the show. They will be in great hands as long as he's the coach, and that alone should provide Caleb Williams with the continuity he needs to thrive.

With that said, there's no sugarcoating it; Declan Doyle was the perfect man for the job. He has been praised for his preparation habits and was also a vital middleman who interpreted Johnson's vision.

Johnson also stated that he was looking for someone with meticulous game-film habits when asked what he was looking for in an OC candidate (before hiring Doyle), so it's safe to assume his ability to scout future opponents was also an important strength to his game.

His presence will be missed, and Chicago will certainly look to replace those characteristics in their next hire. However, the fact that the opportunity to learn under Ben Johnson should be a highly desirable position is definitely working in Chicago's favor. They will have no shortage of potential suitors for the job.

Former Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand is one of the best candidates for the position. Fortunately, his previous history with Johnson, whom he worked with for five years in Detroit, also makes him one of the most plausible names to keep an eye on.

Engstrand quickly rose through the ranks in Detroit and worked closely with him as the pass game coordinator in 2023 and 2024. He used the opportunity as a launchpad to become the Jets' offensive coordinator (under former Lions DC Aaron Glenn) last season.

However, that's where his upward trajectory screeched to a halt. He struggled to get virtually anything out of the Jets' pitiful group of skill players, and they had a bottom-five offense as a result. Garrett Wilson somehow led the team with 395 receiving yards, and his last catch of the season came in the second week of October.

It's hard to blame Engstrand for the offensive struggles for a few reasons. First off, absolutely nobody in that receiver room could get open. Ever. Secondly, as Bears fans know all too well, his starting quarterback, Justin Fields, has only ever been able to hit open receivers. One of his biggest weaknesses has always been his reluctance to throw the ball in tight windows. Those two factors make it incredibly difficult for an offense to move the ball, and that was evident in New York this year.

I find it difficult to blame Engstrand for their offensive struggles. I think he should've gotten another chance, in potentially a much more favorable situation, to show whether he could get the job done. He was previously on somewhat of a Declan Doyle trajectory (albeit with the added caveat that he got in the game much later in life, considering that he's now 43) as a popular OC candidate last offseason.

Jets fans certainly seem to agree with that assessment, as well.

From Engstrand's perspective, the opportunity to call plays would be the only other situation that would be more tantalizing than reuniting with Johnson. After all, he just helped Doyle become the league's youngest play-caller in the NFL after only one year of (respectfully) riding his coattails.

After the mess that was the Jets' season, I'm also not sure other teams will be knocking down Engstrand's door to get him to call plays. The Bears would provide him with the perfect opportunity for a reset and get back in the good graces of the rest of the league.

Being able to work with one of the league's rising young stars at the quarterback position sure wouldn't hurt, either. It would really be a win for all parties involved.

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Jerry Markarian
JERRY MARKARIAN

Jerry Markarian has been an avid Chicago Bears fan since 2010 and has been writing about the team since 2022. He has survived the 2010 NFC Championship Game, a career-ending injury to his favorite player (Johnny Knox), the Bears' 2013 season finale, a Double Doink, Mitchell Trubisky, Justin Fields, and Weeks 8-17 of the 2024 NFL season. Nevertheless, he still Bears Down!

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