Why Declan Doile expects all players at voluntary OTAs

Baltimore Ravens head coach Jesse Minter didn’t waste much time hiring Declan Doyle as his offensive coordinator after accepting the position at the end of January. Doyle proved why he has so much respect around the league when he demanded that all players, including Lamar Jackson, show up for the Ravens’ voluntary OTAs in May.

Although coaches cannot force players to attend OTAs, Doyle said they are mandatory if the Ravens want to consider themselves Super Bowl contenders. Doyle, the youngest coordinator in the NFL, wasted no time establishing himself as a no-nonsense leader.

“We expect them to be here,” Doyle said. “It’s certainly voluntary, but if you want to say you’re going to win a championship, you want to say you have championship goals and expectations, it’s going to take work and cooperation. It’s going to be the beginning of building relationships with their coaches, other players, starting with this regime on the right track.”

“I think that’s a big move by Declan Doyle. It establishes respect.”@mspears96 is aiming for the new Ravens OC expecting all of his players to attend voluntary OTAs 👀 pic.twitter.com/SiAcLT7f2i

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 20, 2026

Some fans initially scoffed at the hiring of Doyle, who is the same age as Jackson and younger than many Ravens players. But after a a strong year with the Chicago Bears in 2025his first as an offensive coordinator, he is already considered one of the best coordinators in the league.

ESPN analyst praises Ravens OC Declan Doyle’s request

While Doyle’s request may not be popular among Baltimore veterans, it was unanimously praised by ESPN’s ‘NFL Live’ crew. Analyst Marcus Spears was a strong supporter of the move, saying it would establish respect within the organization.

“I think it’s a big move by Declan Doyle,” Spears said. “It establishes respect. It establishes, ‘I’m the offensive coordinator, but I want my quarterback here, a guy that I’ve seen do great things in this league to be a big part of the success that we have.’ This will be the most polarizing offensive coordinator job in the league because of who Lamar Jackson is.

After the team fired John Harbaugh for not making the Super Bowl, the Ravens’ young coaching staff will be under immense pressure to succeed immediately in 2026. Few coordinators will be under more scrutiny than Doyle, who steps into a role where the fan base expects nothing but elite production.