Wide receiver Kalif Raymond left the Detroit Lions after multiple productive seasons, primarily as a kick returner. One of the reasons for this was his desire to play more on offense, which was becoming difficult in Detroit’s crowded receiver room. The Chicago Bears offered an intriguing opportunity. Not only did they have need for a veteran presence at the position after losing D.J. Moore to a trade, but also desired help in the return game. It was a perfect fit. However, that wasn’t the primary reason Raymond accepted their offer. It was a chance to reunite with Ben Johnson.
The receiver has been effusive with his praise for the Bears head coach since arriving. He sees Johnson as one of the premier offensive minds in the game and somebody who gets everybody involved. It was one of the reasons Raymond loved playing for him in Detroit. He was asked about it during an interview on NFL Network. His response raised a topic that isn’t talked about nearly enough with good coaches. Raymond believes Johnson is particularly great at using players to their strengths.
Ben Johnson sounds like a Joe Gibbs type.
Plenty of names have been mentioned as a comparison for the Bears head coach since he arrived. Sean Payton, Bill Parcells, and Mike Shanahan. However, when you look at style and approach, the Washington Redskins legend is an excellent parallel. Gibbs developed a reputation in the 1980s as one of the most adaptable head coaches of all time, winning three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks. Those quarterbacks weren’t the same stylistically either. You had the mobile Joe Theismann and the pocket-oriented Mark Rypien.
Rather than force them into a specific scheme, Gibbs adjusted his system to fit what they did best. For Theisman, he had moving pockets built off the run game. For Rypien, he slid extra blockers in and max protected, allowing the strong-armed quarterback to attack downfield. Gibbs summed this philosophy up in a single sentence.
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“You don’t win with X’s and O’s. What you win with is people.”
While it’s true Ben Johnson is a mastermind at crafting plays, his ability to adjust his system on the fly can’t be overstated. Remember, he went from the pure pocket passer Jared Goff in 2024 to the ultra-mobile Caleb Williams in 2025 and made the playoffs with both.
At their core, both men were the same.
While Gibbs was known for his adaptability, he still molded everything around a strong, consistent ground attack. Ben Johnson is the same. He’ll constantly innovate and expand his creativity, but one thing won’t change. His identity is running the ball. That is why both men are successful. They understand how to walk the fine line between adaptability and maintaining a clear identity. It isn’t a secret why Johnson constantly targets players who can do more than one thing. Versatility makes adaptability far easier.
Raymond learned that across three years with the Bears’ head coach. Now we’ll get to see how he fits into this offense. Based on what we know about Johnson, he’ll seek ways to get the ball in his hands quickly. That will allow the receiver to utilize his speed and vision as a return man to maximum effect. This, in turn, will force defenses to tilt coverage toward him, allowing Rome Odunze and Luther Burden to find more openings.
