Grading the Chicago Bears' Decision to Promote Press Taylor to Offensive Coordinator

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Grading the Chicago Bears' Decision to Promote Press Taylor to Offensive Coordinator

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI | By Bryan Perez | Last updated Feb 8, 2026 11:15 AM ET

The Chicago Bears have a new offensive coordinator.

After losing Declan Doyle to the Baltimore Ravens, the Bears announced the promotion of Press Taylor from passing game coordinator to OC.

It's a choice that makes sense. It maintains continuity, trust, and alignment under head coach Ben Johnson. But was it the right move?

From a structural standpoint, the logic is sound. Taylor already played a significant role in the Bears' offensive operation, and he worked directly with Caleb Williams. He helped design weekly game plans and knows Johnson's offensive vision. His promotion will cause minimal disruption, which is important for a team that's still in the very early stages of the Ben Johnson era.

The #Bears are promoting passing game coordinator Press Taylor to offensive coordinator, giving coach Ben Johnson a new top lieutenant, per The Insiders.

Taylor was an OC with the #Jaguars until 2024 before working with Johnson. With Declan Doyle in Baltimore, Taylor is the OC. pic.twitter.com/vWlEr6G8qA
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 8, 2026

That said, it's not a slam-dunk decision. Taylor doesn't have a long resume of success at the NFL level, and Bears fans have every right to be cautious. Doyle was viewed internally as a rising star, and replacing him with another internal candidate raises questions about whether the Bears chose to go safe rather than aim higher.

Ultimately, Taylor's success will be measured by Caleb Williams' continued growth. If the offense maintains its late-game heroics (and actually improves its early-game efficiency), the hire will age well. If the offense stalls, criticism will be harsh.

Remember: the Bears' offense belongs to Ben Johnson. Taylor's presence won't reshape anything. But he must be able to provide the same level of weekly support that Declan did, which will be a bigger challenge than it sounds.

Overall, Press Taylor is not a bad hire. It's a coherent one. The Chicago Bears chose continuity over flash. And I like that. For a team entering a critical period in their quest to compete for a Super Bowl, keeping this train on the track it traveled in 2025 is critical. Taylor does that.

Grade: B