Bears reportedly hire ex-Jaguars OC Press Taylor |
Another one bites the dust, or in this case, it's another hire made by Ben Johnson. Over the past few days, we have seen Johnson check off the list of hirings he needs to make.
Wednesday was no different, as Johnson brought in another experienced coach to become the passing game coordinator. After reports surfaced that the Bears requested an interview with David Blough, it was unclear whether the Commanders granted the request. Instead of waiting for an answer, the Bears got back on the hiring trail and hired Press Taylor as their new Passing Game Coordinator. This is one of those hires Johnson has talked about making. Taylor has plenty of coaching experience, and prior experience calling plays after serving as the Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator. He will bring a new set of knowledge to the Bears offense and look to help Caleb Williams reach new heights in 2025 and beyond. While this past season didn't go as planned for the Jaguars, Taylor had been with the team for the past three seasons, including the best season of Trevor Lawrence's career in 2022. That season, the Jaguars won a playoff game and came within one possession of reaching the AFC Championship. Taylor played a massive part in the team's success that season as he not only created an offense geared toward Lawrence but also did a fabulous job calling various plays to keep the defense on their toes. Going back to the 2022 season to show how good Lawrence and that offense were, they finished the season as a top-10 passing offense, which is telling when you look at how poor they have been since. That is the only time in Lawrence's career that the passing game ranked higher than 17th, and for a former No.1 overall pick, that's not what you want. Having previous experience working with a no.1 pick will come in handy as Williams was taken No. 1 overall in last year's draft and then went on to have the best season in Bears history for a rookie quarterback. After struggling much more in 2023, the wheels completely fell off this season as the Jaguars limped to a 4-13 finish while posting the ninth-worst passing offense in the NFL. That is a concerning start for a guy coming in to lead the passing game, but given his track record before this past season, you have the feeling that this past season was a fluke more than the norm. Before his time in Jacksonville, Taylor had previous experience with Doug Pederson, as they worked together in Philadelphia. While with the Eagles, Taylor was the quarterbacks coach, working with the likes of Carson Wentz and Jalen Hurts. He was also the pass-game coordinator and won a ring with the Eagles when they knocked off the Patriots in the Superbowl. Taylor left Philadelphia for New England in 2021 and spent one season as a senior offensive assistant before rejoining Pederson in 2022. Following the season, Pederson was relieved of his duties, and Liam Coan took over as head coach, so everyone in Duval County knew some changes were coming on the coaching staff. Most of those changes were expected to occur on the offensive side of the ball, so Taylor elected to take interviews elsewhere and has signed with the Bears for this season. At 37 years old, Taylor fits the mold of a young and upcoming offensive mind looking to take the next step in the coaching ranks. Given his previous experience with Lawrence, Wetnz, and Hurts, he has a consistent track record of success with young quarterbacks. The Bears have a young quarterback and a franchise-caliber quarterback coming off a good season, and they will be looking to take massive strides forward next season. Taylor could be the guy to unlock the potential of the passing game, and pairing him with Johnson seems like a match made in heaven.
