It’s been a minute, but I have a fresh batch of Bears thoughts to get out there today before I engulf myself in free agency and draft prep work for the foreseeable future. At the top of my notebook is the impression that Ben Johnson has made on me his week. Today’s Bears Bits is beefy, so let’s cut the small talk and get right into it.
Ben Johnson Media Tour, Free Agency, Draft Thoughts, and More Chicago Bears Thoughts
1. Ben Johnson is a breath of fresh air. With the NFL world in Indianapolis for the Scouting Combine this week, we’ve gotten our first peek at the personality of new head coach Ben Johnson, and the early returns are worth writing home about.
Johnson hasn’t only said all of the right things at the podium in Indianapolis, but he’s been able to articulate his school of thought on football in a way that we’re not used to seeing or hearing from Bears head coaches. During the process leading up to the hiring of Ben Johnson, the most significant question was: What type of leader will Johnson be? But we needed to learn more about who Johnson was to answer that question. After his week of speaking at the combine in various settings, he’s a math nerd turned football coach who operates with an uncanny attention to detail and an intensity lacking around Halas Hall for a long time.
Johnson’s candor on his thoughts on the offense, the hiring process of his new coaching staff, how he plans on leaning on defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and special teams coordinator Richard Hightower, and his offensive assistance to call plays, develop Caleb Williams, and be the CEO of the entire team has been refreshing. His interview with Dan Katz and PFT Commenter on Pardon My Take on Wednesday was terrific. We learned that Johnson can still knock down 405 on the squat rack and that, like many Bears fans, he would gladly sacrifice a testicle for a Super Bowl in Chicago.
We also learned that Johnson’s bag of tricks as an offensive play-caller is more profound than anyone expected, and his ability to design a game plan is as good as advertised. His football IQ is off the charts, and while time will tell, I’ve never felt better about a Bears hire. Even for all the success that Lovie Smith had in Chicago, I don’t remember being this genuinely excited about him before his team took the field.
© David Banks-Imagn Images2. Ben Johnson will make the Bears respect the small things. One comment from Johnson this week was particularly encouraging. While speaking about wide receiver D.J. Moore, Johnson said that Moore is one of the best after-the-catch receivers in the league, which no one will dispute. However, Johnson said the quiet part I observed on film all season long: Moore isn’t a willing participant in the blocking game, and if that doesn’t change, his workload as a pass catcher will.
“No block, no rock,” Johnson said. Johnson’s making sure that, on February 27, his highly paid top wideout knows that if he doesn’t become a complete player, he’s going to become obsolete is a terrific reminder to everyone on the roster that no one is above the small things that contribute to winning football.
3. Jared Goff is good, but he’s no Caleb Williams. Johnson raved about Williams’ ability to make plays off-schedule this week. More specifically, he discussed how Williams’ natural tools are suited for the modern-day offense in the NFL and said that he’s excited to work with that skillset, one he’s never worked with previously.
“(Bears offensive coordinator) Declan (Doyle) mentioned it when he got interviewed a few weeks ago: the out-of-structure, the off-schedule, the creation. That’s what stands out the most because that’s really the way this league’s going right now, it seems like,” Johnson said. “As much as you want to make it pure progression, one to two to three, there’s just too much variety: The pass rush’s coming down, and to have an athlete like Caleb extend the play and potentially find an explosive down the field, that’s what gets me going a little bit.
“I get excited thinking about that because I haven’t really been around that since I’ve been in the league. But I’ve been on the other side, and I have experienced it, and it’s demoralizing when you’re on the other side, and you’re watching that happen to your defense.”
© Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images4. Plan on seeing more play-action in 2025. Under Johnson, the Detroit Lions had the most play-action passes in the league (207). Chicago had 95 play-action passes last season, which ranked 29th. Detroit didn’t just utilize play-action more; they were lethally effective, completing 73.4 percent of their attempts for 9.6 yards per attempt and a 115.8 passer rating. Comparatively, the Bears completed 62.1 percent of their play-action attempts for 8.3 yards per attempt and a 93.8 passer rating. Obviously, Detroit was better suited for success with play-action than the Bears were, but Johnson’s offseason plans undoubtedly have that in mind.
“I think it all starts with what your line up front can do, what your backs do well, and you take it from there,” Johnson said this week.
Johnson mentioned running backs coach Eric Bieniemy’s time in Kansas City and his experience with the shotgun-run game, and new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle’s experience under Sean Payton as resources in his “library” to implement a successful rushing and play-action rushing attack next season.
5. So, what about that personnel? Johnson mentioned that personnel has to be the foundation of a strong play-action passing attack, and the Bears have many questions to answer in that department with an offensive line that needs upgrades at multiple spots and a backfield that was lackluster most of last season. Johnson was asked about running back D’Andre Swift, whom he worked with in Detroit, and it sounds like he’s not given up on the idea that Swift could be a big part of the offense next season.
“I was with Swifty when we first drafted him in Detroit a number of years ago, and I followed his career even after he left Detroit and think very highly of him,” Johnson said. “He’s an explosive athlete. There’s a number of things that he can do both in the running game and in the passing game. I do think he can help ignite an offense because he’s got that playmaking ability, so it’ll be fun to start to work together again here this springtime with him.”
Regarding the offensive line, Johnson and Poles both shared the sentiment that they’re confident they can address their pressing needs through free agency and the draft, meaning that there are indeed upgrades coming in those areas.
6. Cole Kmet should be as happy as anyone about Ben Johnson’s hiring. It’s easy to point to Caleb Williams when asking what Ben Johnson can do to elevate the offense in Chicago, but I have a feeling that Cole Kmet will be in line for a bounce-back season under his new head coach. In Detroit, Johnson’s system used a lot of 12 personnel (two-tight end sets), and Sam LaPorta flourished under Johnson’s guidance. Kmet’s production cratered under Shane Waldron and Thomas Brown last season, but working Johnson, a tight ends coach at Boston College, with the Miami Dolphins and the Detroit Lions, should be a blessing for Kmet.
© Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images7. I don’t think Ashton Jeanty is a realistic scenario for the Bears (but I wouldn’t dislike it if it happened). I see Chicago using the 10th overall selection in the trenches, which would, by default, take them out of the picture for Jeanty. But I do see them taking a hard look at a running back in April, and one to keep an eye on this week at the Scouting Combine is Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson. Johnson’s bruising style makes him a perfect complement to D’Andre Swift’s speed and explosiveness, which could create a David Montgomery/Jahmyr Gibbs-like one-two punch in Chicago’s backfield in Johnson’s offense.
8. Here’s another mid-late round name to watch in April: Harold Fannin Jr. As I’ve mentioned, Johnson deployed a bunch of two-tight end sets in Detroit, and with Gerald Everett out of the picture, look for Chicago to add another tight end this offseason, likely in the middle rounds of the NFL Draft. Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin Jr. is an athletic tight end who performed well at the Senior Bowl.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler included Fannin on his twenty NFL draft prospects that he hated leaving off his top 50 board. In his most recent top-100, Brugler ranked Fannin No. 82. In 2024, Fannin set FBS single-season records for receptions (117) and receiving yards (1,555), and Brugler called him a tight end who “catches everything and shows a unique feel for creating as a ball carrier.”
9. Trey Smith isn’t the end-all be-all at the guard position, but he should be the Bears’ top target until he’s not available. This one fits like a glove. The Chicago Bears desperately need a top-tier guard this offseason, and Trey Smith is lined up to be the hands-down top offensive lineman on the market. In four seasons with the Chiefs, Smith has started 80 of 81 possible games (including the playoffs) at right guard. He’s been an elite run blocker who has developed every season as a pass blocker, finishing 2024 with zero sacks allowed and a minuscule 4.0 percent pressure rate.
You can read more about Smith’s fit in my free agency profile on him from Wednesday:
Trey Smith and the Chicago Bears: A Perfect Fit in Free Agency t.co/y8Nr5OS0Xg pic.twitter.com/muPtmhlumV
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) February 26, 202510. Hats off to one of our own. Spending 10 years anywhere is impressive these days. Spending 10 years in one place in the volatile sports media industry is almost unheard of. As of this morning, my colleague and friend, Luis Medina, has accomplished both feats. It’s been a pleasure working with and learning from Luis for the past four years, and while he, Matt, and I all work hard at the BN Bears stable, Lu is the anchor. If the sun rises, you can bet your bottom that Lu is hard at work. So, congratulations to Lu, and here’s to 10 more years, which will hopefully be littered with successful Chicago Bears performances to write about.
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