Upgrading the offensive line was the biggest focus of the Chicago Bears’ offseason. It was for obvious reasons. Whenever you’re young quarterback gets sacked 68 times in a season, something is wrong. Also, new head coach Ben Johnson understood from his time in Detroit that the fastest way to offensive success was up front. He couldn’t bring the elite Lions blockers with him, so he’d have to enact a plan to find serious help. The highlight of the spring was when the Bears traded for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, former Pro Bowl guards. However, it didn’t end there. Chicago next threw a huge bag at free agent center Drew Dalman.
This was a minor surprise to some. While Dalman had emerged as a really good player in Atlanta, there was confusion about his fit in Johnson’s offense. The worry was that he lacked the necessary size and power. In reality, that isn’t what the Bears head coach wanted. It was Dalman’s mobility. Expert and insider Brett Kollman revealed on the Bootleg Football podcast that Johnson will change the Bears’ offense in one significant way.
They are going to run tons of outside-zone in the running game. You need a center that can get out and move to do that. Few do it better than Dalman.
Ben Johnson understands what works.
No running scheme in NFL history has been more successful than the outside-zone. Mike Shanahan popularized it in the 1990s and 2000s with the Denver Broncos, winning three Super Bowls and turning multiple no-name running backs into stars. It almost always works if you have an athletic offensive line and a running back with good vision. The system has been central to the success of several teams in recent years. Sean McVay won the Super Bowl with it in 2021. Kyle Shanahan reached the Super Bowl twice in 2019 and 2023. Gary Kubiak won the Super Bowl in 2015 with Denver. Matt Lafleur has made the playoffs every year in Green Bay since taking over in 2019.
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If it works, you’re doing your team a disservice by not taking advantage. Ben Johnson understood that from the moment he took over the Lions offense in 2022. Now he runs the show in Chicago and has the perfect center to execute his plan.
