The Baltimore Ravens' hiring of 29-year-old offensive coordinator Declan Doyle made waves across the NFL. Notably, Doyle is the youngest OC in the league, and he's the same age as Lamar Jackson. Anyone who has followed the Ravens knows this is a big change for the franchise.
Sure, they had a 33-year-old Zach Orr as their defensive coordinator this season. However, former head coach John Harbaugh is 63, and former OC Todd Monken is 59. Now with Jesse Minter (42) and Doyle, it's clear that the Ravens are undergoing a youth movement this offseason.
Frankly, this makes a lot of sense since there were rumblings of a disconnect between Jackson and the previous coaching staff, especially Monken. This shouldn't be a problem with Minter and Doyle. While most of the discourse around coaching (understandably) is around schemes and play-calling, connecting with players is another crucial part of the job.
Doyle spent last season with the Bears as their OC, and while he didn't call plays, he helped elevate Caleb Williams and maintained a good relationship with him. As such, it's fair to expect he could similarly build a quality relationship with Jackson and help him get back to his MVP standards.
The Ravens' youth movement is officially underway
Some of the best coaches around the league are below the age of 50, think Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan, Mike Macdonald (ouch), Ben Johnson, DeMeco Ryans, etc. Outside of the ability to connect with players better, younger coaches tend to be more analytics-based, which might be controversial, but it's proven to lead to success in the modern NFL.
For the Ravens, after the status quo of older coaches underperforming, it's logical to try something new. The upside of a Minter-Doyle pairing is undeniable, and this duo could help the Ravens reach their Super Bowl goals. Additionally, this youth movement likely comes with a welcomed new culture and identity -- something that should uplift the team after an immensely disappointing season.
Sure, there are some risks of hiring a first-time head coach and playcaller. Nevertheless, the potential of these hirings is clear, and they both have an impressive track record with their old team.
The Ravens are still looking for a DC, which remains the last major piece of their coaching staff. Based on the hirings of Minter and Doyle, though, it's fair to expect that the Ravens will favor youth. Ravens fans should undoubtedly be excited about the upside of these moves.