The Chicago Bears passing attack has been a mixed bag through the first seven games of the season. On one hand, they rank 10th in the NFL, a massive step up from last year. On the other hand, they’re a distant 24th in scoring. Put simply, they’ve moved the ball well but can’t put it in the end zone. Last Sunday in Baltimore was another such example. One aspect of the problem that has not been discussed enough is the struggles of the Bears’ receivers in dealing with man coverage. By far the most surprising of the bunch is DJ Moore.

According to Pro Football Focus data, Rome Odunze is far and away the best receiver in the NFL this season against man coverage. Nobody is better at gaining separation. The same can’t be said for Moore. Right now, he is in the same bracket as names like Rashod Bateman, Malik Washington, and Andrei Iosivas. That isn’t what you want to hear regarding the wide receiver you’re paying $27.5 million per year. Caleb Williams has a 79.8 passer rating when targeting Moore in man coverage.

DJ Moore seems to have lost a gear.

In 2023, when the Bears acquired him via trade, he was outstanding against man coverage. Justin Fields had a 130.1 passer rating when targeting him, including four touchdowns. In the two years since, DJ Moore has lost a considerable amount of his effectiveness. He’s still great at beating zone, which is why he has plenty of value. That said, highly paid receivers are expected to be guys you can rely on to make plays in one-on-one situations. The fact that Odunze is significantly better than him is both surprising and alarming.

People have wondered why the former 1st round pick has suddenly gotten the most targets this season. It isn’t hard to figure out. The chart says it all. He’s the one who gets open the most against man. Naturally, Caleb Williams will look his way more often. If Moore wants the ball, he must start winning his matchups. Otherwise, he should content himself with his current role in the offense.

It hasn’t been fun being Ryan Poles this season. The Chicago Bears GM doesn’t seem to be getting any positive results from his 2025 offseason moves thus far. Dayo Odeyingbo is a non-factor as a pass rusher despite getting paid $16 million per year. Colston Loveland and Luther Burden haven’t factored much into the passing game. Ozzy Trapilo is a backup. Shemar Turner just tore his ACL. This doesn’t include Kyler Gordon, who has just signed a fresh contract extension, but is now going on injured reserve due to more soft tissue problems. Even as the team sits at 4-3, many feel Poles shouldn’t be in charge of this team.

Recent events on the NFL trade market aren’t helping his case either. The Bears are facing a crisis on their defensive line. As mentioned above, Turner is done for the season. Dominique Robinson will also miss multiple games with a high ankle sprain. The team needs serious help. So, you can imagine how baffled fans were when they saw the New England Patriots trade talented former 2nd-round pick Keion White to the San Francisco 49ers for a late-round pick swap.

White had five sacks and 16 quarterback hits last year, but was rendered useless in New England’s new defensive system under Mike Vrabel. His 6’5, 285 lbs frame feels like something defensive coordinator Dennis Allen would drool over.

Ryan Poles’ lack of action may hint at a power shift in Halas Hall.

Sports Mockery’s Jeff Hughes stated months ago that the true personnel authority has shifted to head coach Ben Johnson. No significant moves happen without his say, including trades. It would explain why the Bears have been noticeably less aggressive this year compared to previous ones. Their only aggressive moves involved trading for guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney, which have Johnson’s fingerprints all over them. Chicago has not made a single trade of any kind since April.

Last year, Ryan Poles made two trades in August and another at the deadline. He was far more active when he had clear personnel authority. Not making a push for a player like White says a lot. Johnson has no intention of flipping draft picks for castoff players. He either wants proven commodities (like Jackson and Thuney) or to keep the picks and use them on young talent to develop. It isn’t a bad thing, but it makes fixing the team’s current problems more difficult.

Caleb Williams has been on a bit of a rollercoaster through the first seven games of the season. After starting with seven touchdowns and one interception in four games, he’s thrown three interceptions and only two touchdowns in the past three games. People have begun to wonder if the Chicago Bears quarterback is regressing. It’s the fans’ worst nightmare. However, several experts have emerged in the past couple of days to argue that the opposite is true. Signs are growing that Williams has evolved as a passer step and step each week.

The numbers don’t yet reflect it due to various circumstances.

Benjamin Solak of ESPN believes there is one factor in play that hasn’t been mentioned enough. It has to do with the changes head coach Ben Johnson made to the offensive scheme following the bye week.

Another reason Williams’ play is herky-jerky belongs to coach Ben Johnson and the nature of the Bears’ passing game. Chicago is sixth in run rate over expectation. As a team, it is seeking a consistent ground game to set up an explosive passing attack.

That philosophical choice isn’t just to protect Williams but also to protect the offensive line. Since the Bears flipped left tackle from Braxton Jones to Theo Benedet in Week 6, they’re third in run rate over expectation. In that same three-week span, their designed rollout percentage of 16.3% is also third. They’re running the football, trying to move the pocket and insulating their young left tackle, and they’re asking Williams to make bigger downfield throws than are required of other quarterbacks.

This isn’t a bad approach — in fact, it’s smart. It plays to Williams’ strengths (arm talent, throw on move) while concealing team weaknesses. But it means Williams’ numbers and lowlights look worse than those of other young quarterbacks (such as Bo Nix and Daniels) who are given more underneath opportunities.

Basically, this approach makes sense, but it comes at a cost.

It helps protect the weaknesses of Theo Benedet in pass protection, but it also magnifies the importance of the shorter throws Williams makes. He doesn’t have as many as other young QBs, and that means missing any of them can be costly. It forces him to connect more often on those longer throws, which is difficult in the NFL. This, along with the constant penalty issues, is why the passing game struggles to find a rhythm.

Caleb Williams must make do for the time being.

It’s not like Johnson is doing this because he’s ignorant of his quarterback’s plight. The hard fact is, he doesn’t trust the left tackle. Benedet is a great athlete, but he has technical issues that can be exacerbated at times by his short arms. Running the ball frequently helps hide those problems. However, opponents can expose them when they get the Bears in long down-and-distance situations. That tends to happen a lot when you’re the second-most penalized team in the NFL.

It probably isn’t a coincidence that Caleb Williams had his best game (4 TDs vs. Dallas) on a day when the offense only had three penalties. The signs of growth are there. Everything depends on him continuing to work hard and learn the offense. As he grows more familiar, the more consistent play should follow. There is a big opportunity to build some confidence over the next four weeks with three games against league-worst defenses.

Ben Johnson has held himself accountable when things don’t go well. That stood out from the moment the season began for the Chicago Bears. Surprisingly, he’s been careful when it comes to his coaching staff. Outside of praising Dennis Allen for his wizardry on defense, there haven’t been any comments about other coaches. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean he has certain thoughts about them. Such might be the case with the team’s trainer and strength staff.

It popped up following the Bears’ loss in Baltimore to the Ravens. Johnson was asked about the status of cornerback Kyler Gordon, who just went on Injured Reserve with groin and calf injuries. His response offered a hint at his frustration with the team’s seeming epidemic of soft tissue injuries.

“We’re hoping it’s going to be of the short-term variety, so we should be able to get him back,” Johnson said. “It’s another soft tissue injury that we’re dealing with.”

Now it’s the NFL. Injuries happen. However, soft tissue problems should be avoidable with the right training regimen. As of writing this, eight different Bears players have missed at least one game this season with these types of injuries: hamstring, quad, calf, and groin. D’Andre Swift has also battled various ailments, despite not missing any time. It is a serious problem.

Ben Johnson may need to shake up his training staff after the season.

Keep in mind, he didn’t make any significant changes when he took over this year. Andre Tucker retained his job as team trainer, a position he has held since 2018. Pierre Ngo had been the assistant strength and conditioning coach in 2023 and 2024. Ben Johnson promoted him after Jim Arthur was fired. It is hard to argue that this pairing hasn’t done the best job preparing Bears players for the rigors of the season. Serious injuries like knees, backs, concussions, and so on can be excused. There is no controlling that. Soft tissue problems should be avoidable.

Now these constant setbacks are contributing to some of these losses. A similar situation occurred when Lovie Smith took over in 2004. Soft tissue injuries plagued the Bears. Smith replaced the training staff the following offseason, and noticeable differences were immediately apparent. Don’t be surprised if Johnson does the same.

The Chicago Bears took two brutal blows to their defensive line in the loss to the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday. Rookie 2nd round pick Shemar Turner tore his ACL, ending his season. In addition, Dominique Robinson suffered a high ankle sprain. He’s expected to miss multiple weeks. It stinks for Robinson particularly because he’d been having a pretty good season. Now the team must figure out how to plug the gaps. It appears they’ve gotten started on that on Tuesday with a new addition.

Tom Pelissero reported they’ve signed veteran defensive end Jonathan Garvin to their practice squad. He was a 7th round pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2020 after a solid career for the Miami Hurricanes. He played sporadically during his first three seasons, collecting 1.5 sacks in 2021. He has not played in an NFL game since 2023. It’s pretty clear the Bears view him purely as depth, which isn’t a surprise considering Austin Booker was just activated from Injured Reserve.

The question is whether the Bears add anybody else.

The Chicago Bears may need one more addition.

Garvin was always considered a project coming out of college. He possessed the size and physical traits that teams sought in a pass rusher. There were always questions about his consistency and his motor. Those concerns proved accurate. More than anything, he alone doesn’t cover what the Bears have lost. While Booker should be able to handle the pass rush in the absence of Robinson, the bigger concern is the run defense. Robinson and Turner were both solid contributors in that department.

Garvin won’t be any help there. That is why it’s possible the Chicago Bears might make another move in the near future. DeMarcus Walker is still available. Bringing him back might be a wise decision. While an adequate pass rusher, he was a strong run defender. It will be something to monitor as the team prepares for a big game on Sunday in Cincinnati.