Ben Johnson held his end-of-season press conference with Ryan Poles on Wednesday. Here, he finally took time to dissect the 2025 season, what was accomplished, and what must be done to push the Chicago Bears further in 2026. He didn’t mince words. There will be no momentum to carry into next season. The Bears must start from scratch this spring and summer and once again build from the ground up. Players and coaches must work harder to get further than they did this season. When asked about what must improve the most for that to happen, Johnson did not hesitate with his answer.
They “have to be better catching the football.”
It will be a major point of emphasis starting in the spring. It isn’t a surprise that Johnson mentioned this. Drops plagued the Bears all season. According to Pro Football Reference, they had 29 this year, ranking fifth-most in the NFL. While Johnson didn’t single out any one player, you can bet the name he was referencing at the top was Rome Odunze. His brutal drop on the first drive of the playoff loss to Los Angeles set the tone for the game, and it’s been a problem for him since he was drafted.
Odunze is a former #9 overall pick. He was drafted to make plays like that. If he wants to be a key part of the offense, he’d better start making those catches.
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Ben Johnson won’t be one to suffer inconsistency forever.
The Bears head coach is a perfectionist who demands precision and execution. Just look at how he’s handled the left tackle position this year. If a guy doesn’t perform exactly as he wants, he will give somebody else a try. It is why they went with Joe Thuney at that spot against the Rams rather than back to Theo Benedet or Braxton Jones. If he senses you can’t get the job done, you won’t get second chances. It isn’t a stretch to think Odunze, DJ Moore, and everybody else in that room will get similar treatment if the drop issues persist.
Expect the head coach to follow through on his promise. You can bet all Bears skill positions will be spending extra time with JUGS machines throughout the spring and summer, working on their hands. Antwaan Randle El is known for his creative coaching methods to improve concentration. It’s a safe assumption he’ll have some ideas to help with the problem as well. Ben Johnson will not relent on that statement. Once players return from vacation, they’d better be ready to work.
