INDIANAPOLIS -- Even though Jeremy Bates lasted just one season as Seahawks' offensive coordinator, it didn't stop his former boss Pete Carroll from giving the new Bears' assistant coaches a glowing review Friday at the NFL Combine.

Carroll and Bates worked together at USC for one year before both moved onto Seattle in 2010. Bates, however, was let go following the 2010 regular season due to reported philosophical differences. But their past parting of the ways did not prevent Carroll from hailing the Bears' decision to hire Bates earlier in the month.

"He's got great depth to him about the system that he's been around," Carroll said. "He really, really knows it. In particular, with Jay Cutler, they kind of grew up together in the system and they really hit it off and were effective when they were together.

"I think it's a great move for Chicago, a great move for Cutler and a great move for Jeremy as well. It's going to work out great for them. I don't know if they'll understand the depth of it until they see those guys work together. I just know through our stories and our communication about things like that, they were really on the same page. So I think it was a great pickup for Chicago."

Bates and the rest of the Bears' assistant coaches are off-limits to the media during the Combine.