Just eight days after hiring Jesse Minter as their head coach, the Baltimore Ravens brought in Declan Doyle as their offensive coordinator.- At 29, Doyle has plenty of promise and was a popular name in OC conversations. Doyle served as the Chicago Bears' OC this past season. Alongside Ben Johnson, Doyle helped elevate Caleb Williams and the Bears' offense.
ESPN sources: the Baltimore Ravens are hiring Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle as their offensive coordinator. Doyle can leave because, in Baltimore, he will have play-calling responsibility. But new Ravens HC Jesse Minter now has someone to run Baltimore’s offense. pic.twitter.com/ad4iDXLjyh
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 30, 2026
While Doyle has tons of upside, this is far from a risk-averse move. Most notably, despite his experience as the Bears' OC, Doyle has never called plays before -- a responsibility he'll now have with the Ravens. As such, there will be a learning curve for Doyle.
To be clear, I still like the hire. Chicago had a fantastic offense this past year, ranking top 10 for both points and yards. Sure, Johnson deserves the Lion's share of credit for this success -- there's no denying Doyle played a role in this success as well.
Nevertheless, hiring a more proven play-caller such as Kliff Kingsbury to complement the defensive-minded Minter would have been a safer move. Fortune favors the bold, though, and this could prove to be the right move for Baltimore.
There are clear pros and cons to hiring Doyle
One big advantage for Doyle is the Ravens' elite personnel. Baltimore arguably has the league's best offense. The duo of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry is a fantastic combination -- which in turn makes this transition smoother for Doyle. With the possibility of upgrades to the offensive line and receiver room, Doyle is walking into a great situation.
Plus, at 29, he'll likely connect better with Lamar than his 59-year-old predecessor, Todd Monken. In general, I think a younger coaching staff is an advantage given the importance of building relationships with players, and the typical value of analytics. With Minter (who is 42) and now Doyle, that's exactly what the Ravens have.
Still, experience is valuable, and despite the Ravens' talent, it wouldn't be shocking if Doyle has some struggles in his first year as a play-caller. Monken had his problems in Baltimore (most notably, frequently abandoning the run game) -- despite his impressive experience beforehand. As such, despite the Ravens' talent, Doyle may take some time to acclimate. The Ravens have Super Bowl aspirations, so it's unclear how patient the franchise will be if Doyle does indeed struggle. Doyle learning the ropes of play-calling may hinder the Ravens' season.
Again, I'm not necessarily predicting that Doyle won't succeed from the jump -- there's a lot to suggest that he'll be the perfect man for the job. However, there's no denying the risks of hiring Doyle.