The Broncos offensive staff featured a promising young coach that many figured would land a promotion soon.
But it was a different one. While quarterbacks coach Davis Webb has drawn praise for his work the past two seasons with Russell Wilson and Bo Nix, tight ends coach Declan Doyle will get his first opportunity to help run an NFL offense. The 28-year-old has agreed to become the Chicago Bears offensive coordinator, a source confirmed Sunday night.
Doyle began his coaching career in New Orleans with Sean Payton, replacing Joe Brady, now the Bills’ offensive coordinator. Doyle followed Payton to Denver where he served as a tight ends coach the past two seasons. The Broncos struggled to get production out of the position, but clearly new Bears boss Ben Johnson saw that as a personnel issue, not coaching.
Doyle knows people who know Johnson. He worked with Lions coach Dan Campbell with the Saints. Johnson turned the Lions’ offense into one of the league’s most explosive over the last few years.
Johnson will call plays for the Bears but appears to want a young mind to work with top overall pick Caleb Williams. The Heisman Trophy winner delivered an uneven rookie season. He threw for 20 touchdowns with six interceptions but was sacked a league-high 68 times. Helping Williams get rid of the ball more quickly remains a critical part of his development.
Doyle was among three finalists for the job along with Cardinals quarterbacks coach Israel Woolfork and Broncos executive David Shaw, the former head coach at Stanford.
Saturday, Denver lost assistant general manager Darren Mougey to the Jets, where he landed the GM job. Special teams assistant Chris Banjo has also interviewed for multiple special teams coordinator positions this offseason. The Broncos have one coaching vacancy as Payton fired special teams boss Ben Kotwica after the season.
It is possible Broncos personnel and coaches will continue to receive interest with Mougey in New York and former Denver front office employee John Spytek now the GM of the Raiders.
NFL Network first reported that the Bears were hiring Doyle.
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