[Editor's note: This article is from Athlon Sports' 2025 NFL Preview Magazine.Order your copy today online or pick one up at retail racks and newsstands nationwide.]
The Bears aggressively pursued head-coaching candidate Ben Johnson, hiring the wunderkind Lions offensive coordinator one day after Detroit lost to the Washington Commanders in the NFC divisional playoffs.
The hope is that the 39-year-old can replicate the success he had in the Motor City with a Lions team that led the NFL in scoring at 28.2 points per game during his three seasons as coordinator. In Chicago, Johnson will be entrusted with developing second-year pro Caleb Williams into the type of quarterback the Bears envisioned when they selected the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft out of USC. Starting all 17 games as a rookie last year, Williams showed promise but had an up-and-down debut.
Johnson aims to establish a culture of accountability and integrity with the Bears. After taking the job, he delivered a message to players to “get comfortable being uncomfortable.” Said Johnson: “The bar has been set higher than it’s ever been set before. The only way for this team and for you as individual players to reach your potential is to be pushed and to be challenged, and that’s exactly what [I] and my staff plan on doing.”
More NFL team previews
AFC East: Bills | Dolphins | Jets | Patriots
AFC North:Bengals | Browns | Ravens | Steelers
AFC South:Colts | Jaguars | Texans | Titans
AFC West: Broncos | Chargers | Chiefs | Raiders
NFC East:Commanders | Cowboys | Eagles | Giants
NFC North: Bears | Lions | Packers | Vikings
NFC South: Buccaneers | Falcons | Panthers | Saints
NFC West: 49ers | Cardinals | Rams | Seahawks
Offense
The Bears’ primary objective during the offseason was to put Williams in the best position to succeed. Not only did they hire Johnson, who will call plays, but they also completely overhauled their interior offensive line after allowing a league-high 68 sacks in 2024. General manager Ryan Poles traded for Pro Bowl guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson from the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams, respectively, and signed top free-agent center Drew Dalman.
The Bears continued to address their offense in the draft, spending their first three picks on Michigan tight end Colston Loveland (No. 10) in the first round and Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III (No. 39) and Boston College tackle Ozzy Trapilo (No. 56) in the second round.
Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore (2) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Detroit Lions in the third quarter at Ford Field.
DJ Moore
Lon Horwedel/Imagn Images
Burden will join veteran DJ Moore and second-year pro Rome Odunze to form what should be a formidable receiving trio. Across two seasons with the Bears, Moore has caught 194 passes for 2,330 yards and 14 touchdowns — ranking sixth, eighth and tied for 12th in the NFL in those respective categories. Last season, the seven-year veteran led the Bears with a career-high 98 receptions for 966 yards and six touchdowns. Drafted ninth overall lasat year, Odunze caught 54 passes for 734 yards and three TDs in 2024, joining Hall of Fame tight end Mike Ditka as the only Bears rookies with at least 50 receptions and 700 yards.
The receivers will be coached by Antwaan Randle El, a Super Bowl-winning player with the Pittsburgh Steelers and a Chicago-area native who excelled while working with Johnson as Lions receiver coach.
Loveland will pair with sixth-year pro Cole Kmet at tight end. The 2020 second-round pick from Notre Dame ranks second among tight ends in Bears history with 258 receptions behind Ditka (316) and third in TD catches (19) behind Ditka (34) and Greg Olsen (20). Johnson frequently employed two-tight end formations with great success in Detroit.
The most intriguing position battle will be at left tackle, where incumbent Braxton Jones is recovering from ankle surgery. Trapilo and 2024 third-round pick Kiran Amegadjie could compete for the spot, and moving right tackle Darnell Wright to the left side is a possibility as well.
Defense
Johnson had never worked with Dennis Allen but hired the veteran coach as his defensive coordinator. Allen possesses 23 years of NFL experience, including six as a head coach and eight as a defensive coordinator. He coaches an attacking, aggressive defense and covets players who are fast and violent.
“We want to take the fight to the offense and not let the offense dictate the tempo to us,” Allen says. “We’re going to be aggressive. We’re going to challenge everything. We’re going to play a tough, physical brand of football — the brand of football that you come to expect of the Chicago Bears.”
Chicagoi Bears defensive end Montez Sweat
Montez Sweat
Lon Horwedel/USA TODAY Sports
Poles’ offseason plan to improve in the trenches was executed not only on offense but also on defense. The Bears agreed to a three-year contract with two-time Pro Bowl tackle Grady Jarrett a few hours after he was released by the Atlanta Falcons and signed free-agent end Dayo Odeyingbo. They followed by drafting Texas A&M tackle Shemar Turner in the second round.
The Bears defense features a pair of Pro Bowlers in end Montez Sweat and cornerback Jaylon Johnson. Sweat looks to rebound after his sack production dipped from 12.5 in 2023 to 5.5 in 2024. Johnson excels in coverage and will get to display those skills under Allen, who likes using man-to-man coverage in his defense.
Veteran linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards should thrive in Allen’s system. Edmunds is long, fast and athletic, while Edwards is instinctual, aggressive and tough. The Bears rewarded Edwards — a Chicago-area native — with a two-year contract extension through 2027.
Poles also inked nickelback Kyler Gordon to a three-year extension through 2028. The first player Poles drafted as Bears GM, Gordon has registered 207 tackles, five interceptions, 17 pass breakups, nine tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, four fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles across three seasons. When Allen was introduced to the media after being hired as DC, Gordon was the first player he mentioned. Allen plans on having Gordon practice at a second position — outside corner or safety — to get him on the field more in the base defense.
Specialists
The only coordinator whom Johnson retained was special teams coordinator Richard Hightower, who returns for his fourth season in that role. Last year, the Bears’ special teams unit ranked fifth in the NFL in DVOA and had three different individuals win player of the week awards. Cairo Santos (eight field goals of 50-plus yards) and punter Tory Taylor (gross and net averages of 47.7 and 41.2 yards, respectively) set single-season franchise records.
Santos is the most accurate field-goal kicker in Bears history, having made 89.3% of his attempts (134-of-150) in 85 games. Last year, he connected on 84.0% (21-of-25) of his tries, including a 51-yarder as time expired in the season finale to beat the Packers 24-22 in Green Bay.
The Bears signed two accomplished return specialists in free agency. Devin Duvernay was named to the Pro Bowl as a return specialist with the Baltimore Ravens in 2021 and 2022 and was chosen first-team All-Pro in 2021 when he led the NFL with a 13.8-yard punt return average. Last year, Olamide Zaccheaus averaged 10.5 yards on 17 punt returns with the Washington Commanders.
Final Analysis
Johnson has brought energy and positive vibes to the Bears, who will look to rebound from a disappointing 5-12 season that included a 10-game losing streak and cost Matt Eberflus his job. The Bears believe that they have better talent than a 5-12 record would indicate and made key offseason additions to address needs on the offensive and defensive lines. The Bears play in a rugged division — all three other teams qualified for the playoffs in 2024 — but they are still optimistic about making big strides this season.
By hiring Johnson and surrounding Williams with a fortified offensive line and a bevy of playmakers, the front office is positioning their quarterback for success. Williams’ development will be the most significant storyline in Chicago in 2025.
More NFL team previews
AFC East: Bills | Dolphins | Jets | Patriots
AFC North:Bengals | Browns | Ravens | Steelers
AFC South:Colts | Jaguars | Texans | Titans
AFC West: Broncos | Chargers | Chiefs | Raiders
NFC East:Commanders | Cowboys | Eagles | Giants
NFC North: Bears | Lions | Packers | Vikings
NFC South: Buccaneers | Falcons | Panthers | Saints
NFC West: 49ers | Cardinals | Rams | Seahawks