Bengals receivers coach Troy Walters reportedly declines the Bears' offensive coordinator interview request, adding to Chicago's coaching staff challenges.
The Chicago Bears are now down two assistants from Ben Johnson's 2025 staff.
Running backs coach Eric Bieniemy is now with the Kansas City Chiefs as offensive coordinator. It'll be his second stint in Kansas City with that role. He was the OC for the Chiefs from 2018 to 2022.
Then there was the loss of Declan Doyle to the Baltimore Ravens. The Bears' OC is joining Jesse Minter's staff in Baltimore and will get the chance to call plays, something he wasn't able to do in Chicago.
The Bears also lost the man in charge of putting together halftime adjustments in Doyle.
This week, news came out about who Chicago was considering to fill the opening. There have been rumors that the Bears are considering passing game coordinator Press Taylor for the role.
They have also submitted an interview request for Arizona Cardinals passing game specialist Connor Senger.
The Bears sent another interview request to an assistant coach in the NFL, but he declined. That was the case for Cincinnati Bengals receivers coach Troy Walters, via CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones.
Walters has been with the Bengals since 2020, but it took him a while to earn his first NFL job. He began at Indiana State in 2009. He's also spent time in the college ranks with Texas A&M (2010-11), N.C. State (2012), Colorado (2013-15), UCF (2016-17) and Nebraska (2018-19).
His first job with the Bengals was as the Assistant WR coach, but he's been the full-time WR coach since 2021. He's worked with the likes of Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins with the Bengals.
Filling the OC opening in Chicago is going to be no easy matter. Doyle had a significant role in turning the offense around in 2025.
The Bears went from being in the bottom half of the league in multiple categories to 12th in passing yards (234.8), third in rushing yards (144.8) and ninth in points per game (25.9).
There are plenty of options out there for the Bears to choose from.
J.T. Barrett and Antwaan Randle El could always be promoted from within. Assistants at other teams, like Nate Scheelhaase and Hank Fraley, are still available.
Time will tell who the Bears decide to go with as their next OC. It's safe to say that whoever they choose will have some big shoes to fill with Doyle now at the Ravens.