The Green Bay Packers' offseason has been a busy and bumpy ride before January is even over. Between losing key staff members like defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and quarterbacks coach Sean Mannion, Packers fans could certainly use a breather before the offseason action ramps up further.
That's why those around Titletown will accept any positive news they can get, and Friday was ripe with it. After the Packers announced contract extensions for head coach Matt LaFleur, general manager Brian Gutekunst, and executive vice president/director of football operations Russ Ball, the Chicago Bears were hit with another coaching loss.
"The Baltimore Ravens are hiring Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle as their offensive coordinator," NFL insider Adam Schefter reported on Friday afternoon. "Doyle can leave because, in Baltimore, he will have play-calling responsibility."
While Bears fans lament their latest exit, Packers fans will celebrate an NFC North rival taking a step back.
Declan Doyle Ditching Bears Is Good News for Packers
As painful as it is to admit, the rival Bears exceeded expectations in head coach Ben Johnson's first year with the team. That's why it's exciting to learn that the reigning division champions just lost Doyle, who — even though he wasn't calling plays — was a key part of Chicago's offense scheming each week.
Now, Johnson is forced to go back to the drawing board in Year 1, needing to find an OC who 1) aligns with his vision and 2) has no issue taking a backseat to play-calling. Furthermore, the Bears have to navigate replacing running backs coach Eric Bieniemy, who left to become the Kansas City Chiefs' OC after leading a unit that averaged 144.5 rushing yards per game (3rd) and 4.9 yards per carry (3rd).
After going 1-2 against the Bears, between the regular season and playoffs, the Packers have every reason to celebrate that Doyle and Bieniemy won't be issues for them anymore — especially after Chicago averaged 24.7 points in those contests, even rushing for 138-plus rushing yards twice.
Yes, the Packers have suffered coaching losses, too, but they got a head start on their replacements when they hired DC Jonathan Gannon shortly after Hafley's exit. The next task will be replacing Mannion, and it already looks like that search might not take long.
Now, the Bears have to split their offseason focus between finding key coaching replacements and addressing their expiring contracts. The Packers still have holes on their staff, but they aren't as pressing as the Bears, allowing GM Brian Gutekunst to focus on fleshing out the roster following Friday's news of the 2026 salary cap increase.
Is laughing at a division rival's downfall petty? Maybe, but Packers fans can't be blamed for enjoying the Bears' struggles to keep Johnson's staff together. That's exactly the kind of motivation needed to propel Chicago's offseason now that there's a clear chance to do some leap-frogging in the NFC North next season.