The NFL’s annual meetings continued in Phoenix on Tuesday as AFC coaches met with reporters.

The Chicago Bears were a part of the conversation Tuesday morning. After a memorable season in Bears head coach Ben Johnson’s first season, some teams hired coaches off of Johnson’s staff. The Bears also had to make some roster changes, whether that was trading away players like wide receiver DJ Moore or trading for center Garrett Bradbury.

Here are five of the most interesting things coaches said about current and former Chicago Bears players and coaches Tuesday.

On Declan Doyle moving on

The Baltimore Ravens made a relatively surprising move when they hired former Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle to be their play caller.

Doyle had just spent one season with the Bears as their offensive coordinator at the age of 29. Although Johnson was the team’s play caller, Doyle did countless tasks to make Johnson’s life easier as he transitioned to being a head coach. Doyle started planning ahead for opponents, helped with halftime adjustments and led offensive meetings when Johnson had other tasks as head coach, amongst other things.

But the Bears offense made great strides with Doyle’s help. Quarterback Caleb Williams took big strides in his first season with Johnson while the Bears running attack became one of the best in the league.

New Ravens head coach Jesse Minter was impressed with what Doyle did in Chicago even without being the team’s play caller. It’s why he decided to bring in the young offensive mind as his first offensive coordinator as a head coach.

“Man, everything,” Minter told Shaw Local News Network of what impressed him about Doyle. “I think he’s just wise beyond his years. He’s really smart, he’s innovative. He’s again, always evolving, always trying to find a better way to do things. But has these standards of how the offense is going to play from an effort, from a blocking standpoint. So just really excited about him and what he with our offense.”

On Caleb Williams’ success

Williams had a breakthrough season last season that led to the Bears’ first playoff win in 15 years. Coaches around the league took notice of what Williams did.

Many coaches were impressed with Williams when asked about him over two days. Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay called Williams a “stud” Monday when asked about his play in the teams’ NFC divisional matchup in January. McVay also called Williams’ throw to Kmet on fourth down toward the end of regulation, calling it “one of the most incredible plays I’ve ever seen.”

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor watched Williams lead one of his seven comebacks firsthand last season. He believes Williams will only continue to grow with more time with Johnson.

“I think Caleb is a dynamic talent,” Taylor said. “He’s still young in the league, obviously has tasted great success. I’m sure they look forward to building off of that.”

On DJ Moore’s reunion with Joe Brady

The trade of Moore to the Buffalo Bills was tough for the Bears even though they knew it was the right business decision. But the Bills are excited for what Moore will bring to their offense.

Poles traded Moore and a 2026 fifth-round pick to the Bills in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick. The move came as the Bears faced a tough cap situation and felt comfortable offloading Moore’s contract given their young talent in the wide receiver room. Buffalo, meanwhile, needed a top wide receiver for quarterback Josh Allen.

He will be reunited with Bills head coach Joe Brady, who served as Moore’s offensive coordinator for two seasons with the Carolina Panthers. Moore had two of his four-highest season receiving yardages with Brady as his play caller.

Brady hopes to replicate that success again.

“He can do so many different things,” Brady said. “Knock on wood, he plays, he practices, he’s out there every day, he’s playing every game and he is playing and he’s not coming off the field. That’s unique at the wide receiver position. And it’s been a while since I’ve been coaching him and I’ve been wanting to coach him for the last few years. So having that opportunity again excites me.”

On Garrett Bradbury’s ‘professionalism’

Chicago was put into a tough situation when center Drew Dalman suddenly retired this offseason. But the Bears felt they found as good of a solution as they could.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles, Johnson and their staffs worked quickly and brought in Garrett Bradbury to fill the void. Poles traded a 2027 fifth-round pick to the New England Patriots in exchange for Bradbury in the hopes of not only replacing Dalman’s play but also his leadership in the offensive line room.

The Bears seemed to do that according to New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. Bradbury only spent a season with Vrabel last year after playing most of his career with the Minnesota Vikings. But Vrabel credited Bradbury with how he handled himself each day.

“Just touching on his professionalism, every day he came to work,” Vrabel said. “He was prepared. Really led the offensive line. Great energy, connection with the quarterback, his durability, consistency.”

On Eric Bieniemy’s return to the Chiefs

It didn’t take long into the offseason to see that former Bears running backs coach Eric Bieniemy’s return to the Kansas City Chiefs would be inevitable.

The Chiefs brought Bieniemy back as their offensive coordinator after he was in Chicago for one season. Bieniemy previously served as Kansas City’s offensive coordinator from 2018 to 2022. He took over after the Chiefs didn’t bring back Matt Nagy, a former Bears head coach.

“I think he’s just wise beyond his years. He’s really smart, he’s innovative. He’s again, always evolving, always trying to find a better way to do things. But has these standards of how the offense is going to play from an effort, from a blocking standpoint. So just really excited about him and what he with our offense.”

—  Jesse Minter, Baltimore Ravens head coach

Bieniemy helped turn the Bears running attack into one of the league’s best last season. Running back D’Andre Swift had a career year while Kyle Monangai was one of the best rookie runners as a seventh-round pick.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was excited to have Bieniemy back.

“We’re fired up to have him back,” Reid said. “He brings great energy. He knows obviously the offense, he’s very well-respected by the players. That part hasn’t changed for the guys that are still there. It’s a seamless transition, I think, from Matt Nagy leaving to him coming in.”