It hasn’t been hard to see that Ben Johnson is a die-hard competitor. The man devotes countless hours of his time to the game of football. One might call him obsessed. No detail gets overlooked, whether crafting an offense, coaching his quarterback, or studying potential draft picks. It wasn’t a surprise to see the Chicago Bears‘ head coach in Indianapolis for the scouting combine. He wanted to get a look at the players up close while also fulfilling his responsibilities to the media machine.

Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reported how full his schedule actually was. The man covered a ton of miles and several tasks in just one day. His energy and endurance remain impressive.

After a media whirlwind of group interviews and then select multimedia appearances beginning in the morning, he was back on the road by early afternoon. In fact, word is Johnson was back at Halas Hall that evening in time to join some of the team’s one-on-one interviews virtually.

That’s the way he wanted to attack things, and the team is fortunate Johnson agreed to do the media tour. He’s the best frontman the Bears have had in a long while.

However, Bears fans have no idea how crazy the man is. A healthy person would’ve struggled with that schedule. As it turns out, Johnson was sick the whole time. If you saw his opening press conference, he looked unusually haggard and gaunt. Well, there was a reason for that. CHGO found out.

If Johnson looked off during his Tuesday media availability, it’s because he was overcoming a bout of food poisoning that struck before he traveled to Indianapolis.

Ben Johnson remains a sick human being, literally and figuratively.

Anyone who has experienced food poisoning understands one fact. You are bedridden constantly and never more than a few feet away from a bathroom. Johnson got dressed, drove a couple of hours to the combine, did the media rounds, drove back, and did one-on-one interviews with prospects. People say someone is “built different” a little too much these days. In Johnson’s case, it is true. The man is so driven to make the Bears a success that he’ll sacrifice his own comfort and well-being to further that goal.

Nobody can ever again say the man isn’t dedicated to the cause. It’d be one thing if he fought through illness to be in a high-profile playoff game. Doing it at the scouting combine, which several other head coaches skip voluntarily, is sicko behavior. How can you not love the guy?

The Bears came away with plenty of good data to help construct their draft board for next month. Position groups like the safeties, edge rushers, and offensive tackles stood out. They should have plenty of good options when they go on the clock. No doubt Johnson will be at the center of those decisions, given his considerable power inside the building. Hopefully, he won’t be ill any longer.

Following the 2024 season, opinions on Caleb Williams from coaches around the league were what you’d expect. He’s still raw, too indecisive, holds the ball too, but wickedly talented. Maybe he’ll be good one day, but that could take a while. It’s crazy to think how much a narrative can change in a year. Williams finished the 2025 season with probably the best campaign a Bears quarterback has had in the Super Bowl era. He compiled over 4,000 total yards, including a team record 3,941 passing and 30 total touchdowns. Chicago went 11-6, won the division, and were an overtime away from the NFC Championship.

Yet that isn’t what has the coaching community inside the NFL buzzing, and a little nervous. Dan Wiederer and Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic spoke to several defensive coaches at the scouting combine in Indianapolis. They all kept referencing Williams’ ability to rally late in games.

“I never saw him flinch,” one personnel man said. “That’s what you respect most. You could feel that confidence that he is never out of a game. There aren’t a lot of quarterbacks who operate that way.”

With Williams, it’s not just the Bears who now understand that they are never out of a game. Opponents now feel it, too, adding a psychological component to every game the Bears play. Said one AFC exec: “With guys like him, you feel constant pressure to have a two-score lead. And even when you have that, you’re not comfortable.”

That discomfort is real and, at times, suffocating for an opponent. For the Bears, the belief in Williams can offer a stimulant.

“Even inside of a game where you’re not playing well and your offense isn’t doing anything, as soon as you get that one score, you can almost feel it from the other side: ‘Oh, f—. Here we go,’” the exec said.

You can just tell from how they speak that Williams has sent shockwaves through the league. If there is one thing defensive coordinators hate the most, it’s having to defend against quarterbacks who play their best late in games.

Caleb Williams is the worst kind of quarterback to defend.

It’s bad enough that he seems to possess the rare calm in the face of mounting pressure during games. His pulse never speeds up. What makes it worse is his ability to avoid pressure and make plays off-script. Defenses can’t focus on attacking him the same way every play because nobody knows what he’s going to do from snap to snap. All that scrambling drains opponents. The later it gets, the more gassed they become. By the final five minutes, their tanks are empty. That is when Williams often strikes the killing blow.

People forget, but that is why John Elway was so proficient at 4th-quarter comebacks throughout his career. Everybody remembers the cannon arm and calm under pressure. They forget how often he used his legs to buy time. Defenses hated facing him because of that. Williams is built the same way. The trick with Elway was ensuring he had an offense around him that didn’t always require those heroics. It took Denver over a decade to finally figure it out. Thankfully, the Bears seem to have gotten it right early with Ben Johnson.

The only thing Williams is missing is a defense.

Part of the reason Chicago constantly needed comebacks last year was the defense’s inability to hold leads. Four of them came after the opposing team had scored in the 4th quarter to go ahead. That is the price you pay for having the 29th-ranked defense in the league. Getting that fixed is a priority for Bears general manager Ryan Poles and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. Caleb Williams has yet to play with a great defense in his football career. From high school through Oklahoma and USC, he constantly had to carry his teams with tons of points.

People give Tom Brady all the credit for seven Super Bowl rings. They often forget to point out that he played with 19 defenses that finished in the top 10 in the league during his career. It’s much easier to win championships under those conditions. Aaron Rodgers, his idol, only played with three. One of them was in 2010 when he won his only Super Bowl. That is the next step for Chicago. Get Williams a defense. Once the puzzle is put together, that elusive Lombardi trophy will be in sight.

The Chicago Bears surprised many last offseason when they elected to extend backup quarterback Tyson Bagent. It wasn’t the shock that the team did it. They’d made it clear they loved having him and would prefer to keep it that way. No, the surprise was that Bagent accepted the offer. It had been expected that the young backup would eventually leave as a free agent in 2026, hoping to compete for a starting job elsewhere. The Bears had drafted Caleb Williams #1 overall in 2024. He wasn’t going anywhere. Instead, Bagent opted to take a decent deal to stay put.

Part of the reason for it was loyalty to the Bears for believing in him when other teams didn’t. However, another part wanted the chance to work under new head coach Ben Johnson. Bagent was aware of the man’s offensive reputation and felt learning from him would be beneficial. It didn’t take Johnson long to take a liking to the young quarterback, which is why the Bears moved quickly to extend him. The head coach recently stated he believes Bagent is one of the 32 best quarterbacks in the NFL. According to Adam Hoge and Adam Jahns of CHGO, those comments got the attention of other teams.

“There’s just not a lot of good quarterbacks available,” an executive said. 

Johnson’s effusive praise of Bagent at the combine was heard around the league, including by some QB-needy teams. And many believe him. “It’s something,” a scout said. 

Teams have been doing their research on Bagent for some time. The general consensus is that, although he doesn’t have the physical gifts of Williams, there is talent to work with. 

“He more than makes up for it on the mental side, too,” a scout said. 

Several league contacts brought up what Bagent did in the Bears’ win against the Kansas City Chiefs in the preseason. He was 20-for-28 passing for 212 yards and three touchdowns. He also led a game-winning drive in the final two minutes. 

Ben Johnson’s opinion of Tyson Bagent goes a long way.

The wider NFL has the utmost respect for the Bears head coach and his offensive acumen. As well they should. In four years, Johnson has never not had a top 10 offense. He got Jared Goff to play the best football of his career, and now elevated Caleb Williams to the best season any Chicago quarterback has ever had. This man knows what they’re supposed to look like. If he says Bagent has the goods to start in this league, other teams would be wise to listen. That is especially true this offseason.

Just look at the list of free agents who could be available.

Then you look at the draft. Francisco Mendoza is the only quarterback certain to go in the 1st round. After that, many believe another may not go until day two. It is a weak class with lots of questions. From the perspective of QB-needy teams, which would you rather do? Spend a 2nd round pick on a rookie who needs a ton of work and may not pan out, or spend a 2nd round pick on a 25-year-old kid who has NFL experience and a firm nod of approval from one of the NFL’s best offensive minds?

The Bears are rightfully banking on the latter.

They understand how limited a commodity quarterbacks are. Tyson Bagent checks key boxes. He’s young, experienced, has played under a top coach, and above all, cheap. The two years left on his new contract are easily affordable for even cash-strapped teams. That is why they feel justified in demanding a high price. Current belief is it’s in the vicinity of a 2nd round pick. That isn’t unheard of. Jimmy Garoppolo went for a 2nd in 2017 from New England to San Francisco. That worked out pretty well for the 49ers

The obvious unanswered question is which team could end up being the one that foots the bill? Arizona was the first mentioned as an interested party. Ian Cunningham is GM in Atlanta. He helped add Tyson Bagent as an undrafted free agent in 2023. They need a quarterback. The New York Jets need one and have an extra 2nd round pick at their disposal. It’s all about the right situation presenting itself. If a couple of teams miss out on who they may want in free agency, they may pivot to Bagent rather than take their chances in the draft.

The Chicago Bears are reportedly keeping tabs on Maxx Crosby’s availability, according to Sports Illustrated’s Sr. NFL Reporter, Albert Breer. If a trade happens, it could come soon. But it will not be simple.

Breer made it clear this would require some careful handling. The Raiders do not want a public bidding war. Crosby does not want it known that he is shopping himself either. He has a strong bond with owner Mark Davis and sees himself as a Raider long term. The cleanest outcome would be a market forming quietly over the next week as teams sort out their cap space and roster plans.

That is where the Bears come in.

Chicago has the flexibility to explore a move like this. But flexibility and execution are two different things. Crosby will turn 29 in August. He has played seven seasons and has dealt with injuries that required surgery the past two years. He is still one of the NFL’s most productive edge rushers. Still, those factors matter when you are talking about premium draft capital.

The Raiders are not giving him away. The starting point likely begins with two first round picks. It could also require a player included in the deal. That is a serious commitment for any team including Chicago.

What Would This Mean for the Bears?

Ryan Poles has been aggressive when he believes the roster is ready for a leap. Adding Crosby would instantly change the Bears’ front seven. He is relentless, plays with edge, and would demand protection attention every snap. Pairing him with Montez Sweat would give Chicago a pass rush it has not had in years.

But this is not just about draft picks.

The Bears would have to make the cap work. Crosby is on a significant contract. Even with space available, Chicago would likely need to restructure deals or move money around to stay flexible for future extensions. That matters with a young core and a quarterback window that is just opening.

There is also timeline alignment. Crosby wants to win now. The Raiders may be turning toward a rookie quarterback and a longer build. The Bears believe they are closer. That difference in direction is why this possible deal has legs.

Still, two firsts and possibly a player is a heavy price. You are betting that Crosby remains elite into his early 30s. You are also sacrificing premium picks that could help build depth around your quarterback.

The interest makes sense. The cost makes it complicated.

If the Raiders decide this is the week to move him, the Bears will be one of the teams to watch closely.

My Take on the Crosby Smoke

Here’s where I land on this.

I believe the Bears are very interested. You do not “keep tabs” on a player like Maxx Crosby unless you are prepared to at least explore the cost. He is the type of defender who changes a defense overnight. Ryan Poles knows that.

But I do not think Chicago makes the splash.

If this turns into a bidding war that starts at two first-round picks and possibly a player, I think the Bears get outbid. There will be a team willing to push past the responsible number. There always is.

Poles is aggressive. We have seen that. He is willing to trade up, move capital, and take big swings when he believes the timing is right. But he is not Ryan Pace. He is not going to throw premium picks around without a firm line in place. Poles operates with a ceiling. Once the price crosses it, he walks.

That is where this likely ends.

It is also worth noting that Ian Cunningham is now gone. For years, Poles had that second voice in the room. That sounding board matters. Without it, the dynamic shifts a bit. Maybe that changes how far Chicago is willing to go. Maybe it does not. But it is different.

At the end of the day, I believe the Bears step out of the Crosby race. They protect their draft capital. And they continue building through the draft around their young core rather than pushing all in on one blockbuster move.

The Chicago Bears remain in a holding pattern on their stadium situation going into their fourth year. For the first time, it feels like there is actual movement, but the question is in which direction. The state of Indiana has made its interest in the Bears crystal clear for several months. They’ve already passed the necessary legislation to help fund any infrastructure costs the team needs in the event they choose to move to the northwest region of the state. There are also plenty of property tax incentives. All the Bears have to do is say yes.

However, the state of Illinois has finally moved after years of dragging its feet, putting the megaprojects bill on the House floor that would finally give the franchise property tax certainty they seek. No vote has taken place yet, but the feeling is that it will happen soon. Lots of fans and media believe the team will ultimately choose Indiana because of the generous offer it’s making. However, if the power brokers in the NFL have their way, they would prefer the Bears to stay in Illinois. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune had the update.

Here’s what I can tell you: The league believes that progress is very much headed in the right direction in Illinois and that Arlington Heights will emerge as the team’s future home. It’s not done yet, but there’s reason for optimism and the preference at that level is for the Bears to remain in Illinois if possible.

The reasons for the Chicago Bears avoiding Indiana are easy to pinpoint.

For one, the team has been an Illinois institution for over a century. The Bears were founded in 1920 by George Halas. Their fight song calls them the “pride and joy of Illinois.” Upending all of that over a stadium dispute goes against the NFL’s typical love for its rich history and traditions. It would make their team, namely, disingenuous. Watching the Chicago Bears play in Indiana dilutes the experience. Arlington Heights is at least a suburb of Chicago. That is not a claim Hammond, Indiana, can make.

Then you have the issue of scenery. The area most expect the Bears to land were they to move is overrun with oil refineries and old manufacturing districts. It is less than idyllic. Not only would it be an eyesore, but also raise questions about air quality and other environmental factors. None of those issues surrounds Arlington Heights. While not as picturesque as the Chicago lakefront, it’s at least cleaner. They have several public parks with a much-loved downtown area. Tourists would find it much more appealing.

There is also a territorial factor in play with the Bears.

When the Giants and Jets left New York for New Jersey, they weren’t encroaching on the established territory of another team. That won’t be the case with the Bears. The Indianapolis Colts have held a firm grip on the entire state of Indiana since their arrival in 1984. The Bears’ moving to northwest Indiana would be a direct incursion on their turf and threaten to eat into their fanbase. That idea isn’t likely to sit well with the Colts’ ownership. Northwest Indiana is one of the most populous regions in the state. Handing that over to the Bears could eat into their profit margins.

All of this sounds like a headache the NFL wants to avoid. They already dealt with a nightmare when the Rams and Chargers decided to both move to Los Angeles. Neither of those teams had near the prestige that the Bears do. At least the Dallas Cowboys had the decency to stay in Texas when they moved to Fort Worth. Imagine if they’d crossed the border into southern Oklahoma. It would’ve been considered a joke. Keeping the Bears in Illinois is the best thing for everybody involved.

The fans stay happy. The McCaskeys get their new stadium and can still claim the Chicago name. No other teams will be angered. Everybody wins.