LAKE FOREST, Sick. – The Chicago Bears have employed Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator and Declan Doyle as offensive coordinator beneath new coach Ben Johnson.
Chicago is also protecting Richard Hightower as particular groups coordinator because it appears to be like to rebound after going 5-12 this season. The group introduced the strikes on Tuesday.
The addition of Allen, 52, places a former head coach on Johnson’s first employees in his new place. Allen went 18-25 with New Orleans earlier than he was fired on Nov. 4 after the Saints misplaced seven consecutive video games. He additionally coached the Raiders for two-plus seasons, going 8-28.
Whereas his two stints as a head coach within the NFL had been unsuccessful, Allen is an skilled defensive coordinator. He had that position in New Orleans for six seasons, and his unit was ranked within the high 10 within the NFL in 2020 and 2021.
“A fantastic defensive thoughts with NFL head coach acumen, I sit up for Dennis coordinating our protection and serving to lead our group,” Johnson mentioned in a launch.
The 38-year-old Johnson is filling out his employees after he was employed final week. He’ll name the offensive performs for Caleb Williams and the Bears after spending the previous three seasons as Detroit’s offensive coordinator.
Johnson is taking up a group that got here into the season with visions of constructing the playoffs, solely to complete final within the NFC North. Chicago fired former coach Matt Eberflus in the course of a 10-game dropping streak that ended with a win at Inexperienced Bay within the finale.
Doyle simply completed his second season because the tight ends coach for the Denver Broncos. He was an offensive assistant for New Orleans from 2019-22.
Earlier than transferring to the NFL, Doyle was an offensive scholar assistant for the College of Iowa from 2016-18. He earned a bachelor’s diploma in enterprise administration from Iowa in 2018.
“A pointy, progressive offensive thoughts, Declan’s work ethic and angle will probably be an amazing asset as we work to construct our offensive unit,” Johnson mentioned. “Declan brings a singular skillset rooted in consideration to element, in addition to particular person growth and collective development.”
Hightower is a longtime NFL assistant, additionally working for Houston, Washington, Cleveland and San Francisco in a wide range of roles — totally on particular groups. He’s going into his fourth season because the particular groups coordinator for Chicago.
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