Bears OC Dowell Loggains to join Dolphins in same position

Get ready for a lot of run-run-pass-punt, Miami.

Ian Rapoport reported on Wednesday night that Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains will be leaving the team to join the Miami Dolphins in the same position.

Loggains, 37, joined the Bears as the team’s quarterbacks coach. After then-offensive coordinator Adam Gase left to take the head coaching job in Miami, Loggains was promoted to the offensive coordinator. He held that position for two seasons.

Under Loggains’ tutelage in 2015, Jay Cutler had arguably his best season of his eight-year tenure with the Bears. He had a career-high passer rating of 92.3, threw for 3,659 yards and had a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 1.9, which tied for his best ratio during his time in Chicago. Once Gase left and Loggains took over the play calling, though, things well south.

Utilizing a three-man quarterback rotation due to injury, Chicago’s offense was the fifth-lowest scoring unit in 2016. Despite a great rookie season from Jordan Howard and a decent six-game stretch by Brian Hoyer, their offense as a whole was generally ineffective.

These struggles were amplified in the 2017 season. With Loggains calling the shots, the Bears’ offense was among the league’s worst. They generated the third-lowest amount of total yards, the fourth-lowest points per game average, and the 16th most rushing yards, despite having Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen on the roster.

Chicago’s passing attack was very bad, too. Although Mitchell Trubisky flashed some potential, Loggains ultimately failed to let the rookie fully show off the abilities that got him drafted second overall in the first place. The Bears finished dead last in passing yards, and tied for last in passing touchdowns. Loggains became the butt of many jokes among Bears fans for his predictable play calling.

Loggains now joins a Miami Dolphins team headed by Gase, with whom he has history, as stated previously. Although there are some pieces in place, there are questions aplenty at the quarterback position. Jay Cutler is an impending free agent after a lackluster season, and Ryan Tannehill is recovering from an ACL injury. Jarvis Landry, the team’s best wide receiver, will be entering free agency, as well.

The Bears, who recently fired head coach John Fox, were expected to part ways with Loggains either way, as their new head coach is likely to inherit almost an entirely new coaching staff. Once they hire a new coach, an offensive coordinator will be one of their top priorities.