Ben Johnson raises eyebrows with first questionable move

Sure, it's not an offensive coordinator role in the true sense of the term. He'll not call plays in regular-season games but he will be working extensively on game planning and with quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett and QB Caleb Williams. So in this regard, it is an important role.

The really important Bears hire after Allen  is not offensive coordinator but offensive line coach.

It is here where they've had so many issues over four years of quarterbacks being sacked 50 or more times, and with their running game collapsing this year once they no longer had a QB who runs better than he passes.

Getting the offensive line turned around is a two-pronged task, starting with personnel.

"We will develop a plan of attack for how to get that done," Johnson said. "But I'm looking forward to getting an excellent offensive line coach in the building to help develop the young talent that we already have on the roster, and we will certainly talk about acquiring talent to bolster that unit as well."

The name being dropped most often for this is Dan Roushar, a former Saints assistant like Doyle but with extensive NFL and college experience working with lines and tight ends. Brad Biggs of the Tribune mentioned him as someone to watch and anyone familiar with college football in Illinois probably has been aware of the name because he worked a few different stints at Illinois and also one at Northern Illinois.

If this turns out to be the hire, they'll have an offensive coordinator lacking much experience, backed by a very experienced offensive line coach and can move forward feeling good about reactivating the ground game, as well as protecting Williams.

At 28, Doyle is at least considered an un up-and-comer in the eyes of many around the league. He has been exposed to the coaching of Payton now throughout his career.

Considering the head coach's lack of experience beyond play calling, a better choice at coordinator might have been Broncos executive David Shaw, the former Stanford head coach. Someone who worked with Andrew Luck extensively couldn't be taken lightly and could help in Williams' development.

The fact they didn't pull in the experienced coach naturally leads to questions about their willingness to pay out more for staff after they already shelled out a reported $13 million or more for Johnson and also have a defensive coordinator who has been a highly paid head coach before.

There is no proof of this, however, beyond logic.

Finding a way to get a few more coaches on staff yet with more experience than simply tight ends coach can assist Johnson at overcoming his own transition from coordinator to his first head-coaching role.

It would help everyone avoid the uneasy feeling accompanying the report that a 28-year-old without much league experience beyond handling tight ends is going to play a major role in drawing up game plans and organizing the attack every week.

The Bears trailed first in 15 of their games in 2024, the first time in NFL history this ever happened.

It would be hard for anyone to come up with game plans that duplicate anything close to that, but a great deal more is expected after the fanfare surrounding this reboot.

More Chicago Bears News

• Linking the Bears to Dennis Allen Saints who could lend a hand

• Bears pre-Senior Bowl mock draft points to potential issues ahead

• The Senior Bowl QB Bears should consider drafting in Round 2

• Why Ryan Poles' draft and free agency focus requires no limits

X: BearsOnSI