If you go back through Chicago Bears history, there are very few cases where you could argue they employed one of the best offensive play callers in the NFL. George Halas had that reputation in his earlier days using the T-formation. Maybe Sid Gillman’s very brief stint with the team in the 1970s. Outside of that, they’ve had to make do with solid to terrible play callers. So you can imagine the sudden shift from Shane Waldron to Ben Johnson in the space of a year was more than a little jarring.

People knew the former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator was viewed as an offensive genius. What they didn’t know was whether he could carry that success into Chicago without the benefit of Detroit’s extensively talented personnel. Johnson answered that question with a resounding yes, guiding the Bears to their first top 10 ranking in 12 years. He lived up to his reputation, giving defenses fits with his blend of power running, lethal play action, and uncanny ability to bait defenses into mistakes.

Ted Nguyen of The Athletic polled defensive coaches around the league, trying to find the best play callers. Johnson ranked 3rd. From their comments, it sounds like going against him is nightmare fuel.

Ben Johnson can practically predict the future.

The trick plays are hell to deal with for defensive coordinators, but it’s the counter to the defense’s counterpunches Johnson has in his bag that are really dangerous.

“He anticipates what your counterpunch might be or what your complement to something might be and then exploits that schematically. He thinks through what might be the next thing you do to build off this (call),” an NFC defensive coach said. “And then once he kind of gets you into that next step or the next thing you’re building off of, he already has answers for that.”…

…One defensive coordinator said he struggled all week trying to figure out Johnson’s tendencies, something he says he normally can do. He said he changed his approach trying to anticipate Johnson’s counters.

The defensive coordinator noted that against Johnson, he called the same coverage several times in a row, which is something he never did, because he thought Johnson wouldn’t expect it. His tactic resulted in a takeaway, but Johnson’s offense still found ways to score. He also noted that he had a tricky red zone disguise that he can usually count on to trick most play callers and quarterbacks, but Johnson had a perfect call for it.

“Ben’s had to have some experience on the defensive side of the ball,” the coordinator said. “He knew, ‘OK, what would give this call problems?’ And he did. I thought that was good.”

Nobody will ever outwork Johnson.

Part of his secret is an insatiable drive and work ethic. He pours countless hours into film study, working to find and exploit every weakness an opposing defense has. That is why he’s so good at anticipating what defensive coaches will call in certain situations. It forces them into a dilemma. Call something they’ve never called before to throw him off, which is incredibly uncomfortable as a play caller, or hope your tried and true strategy gets it done. If they choose the latter, they often pay a heavy price.

Few teams felt that pain more than the Green Bay Packers last season. Everybody remembers D.J. Moore’s iconic touchdown catch in overtime last December to beat them. It was later revealed that it had been carefully set up throughout the entire game. Whenever the Bears showed that formation, they would run the ball. The offense had just had runs of 7 and 11 yards, respectively, on the two previous plays. Chicago showed that formation again. Unsurprisingly, the Packers shifted to play the run, which Ben Johnson had counted on. That was why he’d called for a play action shot to Moore.

Some guys just know how to lay traps.

Certain great offensive coaches just know how to craft schemes that defenses can’t stop. Others are adept at constantly adjusting their tendencies in line with the latest league trends. For Johnson, it is his remarkable knack for laying traps for defenses to walk into. For you history buffs out there, you might remember the name, Robert E. Lee. He was the Confederacy’s most celebrated general during the Civil War. While there were many reasons for his success, his ability to read his counterparts in the Union army and anticipate their actions stood out most.

That is the best way to describe Johnson. His schematic ability is great, but his knack for reading his opponents’ defensive coaches’ minds is his superpower. You can understand why guys around the league lose sleep over the thought of facing him. It is tantamount to psychological torture. Having somebody like that on your side of the ball for once is more than a little refreshing. No wonder Bears players bought into him so quickly. He makes their lives so much easier.

The Chicago Bears didn’t spend any significant money or draft picks at edge rusher this offseason. It was baffling to fans after the team finished 31st in total quarterback pressures last year. Many saw it as the team trying to salvage their investments in Dayo Odeyingbo and Shemar Turner. Both were lost to season-ending injuries in 2025. That is partly true. General manager Ryan Poles insisted the team feels both men can be strong contributors. In reality, the quiet spring was more of a calculated gamble on Austin Booker.

The former 5th round pick had a terrific preseason last August before a knee injury ruined it . He missed the first half of the season as a result. He wasn’t effective through the first few weeks upon returning, but things really clicked over the final six-week stretch. In that span, Booker had 4.5 sacks. He showed why the Bears liked him so much in that 2024 draft. That player, along with Montez Sweat, could form a potent pass rush tandem. Based on new photographs from Booker’s Instagram, the edge rusher is even more jacked than many believed.

He looks geared up for a big season.

Austin Booker knows his time must be now.

Most teams wouldn’t give this much leeway to a former 5th round pick. However, he built up some credibility with his performance last season, along with his obvious dedication. Everybody has said Booker’s work ethic and intensity are among the strongest on the entire roster. He has shown the ability to take that hard work and apply it to games. The trick is staying healthy and putting together a full season. Strong bursts won’t cut it anymore. With this being his third season, the clock is now ticking on him getting a contract extension.

A strong season would not only put him in line for a massive payday but also indicate the Bears finally have a young pass rusher they can build around. Otherwise, he’s looking at a ceiling of being that rotational guy who occasionally spells one of the starters, and the team will go hunting for real help next offseason. Based on the new photos, Austin Booker is ready for the challenge. Usually, when you see a player put on that kind of good muscle, a significant bump in production isn’t far behind.

Booker will need some help from his defensive teammates.

Part of improving that stat production requires enough opportunities to rush the passer. For that to happen, the Bears must do a better job of forcing offenses into advantageous down-and-distance situations. Chicago was worst in the league at forcing 3rd downs last season. Part of that was because they weren’t good at stopping the run, ranking just 27th. They’ll need a better effort from their interior defense, both at defensive tackle and linebacker, to correct this problem. Booker will have to do his part as well.

The good news is that defensive coordinator Dennis Allen does have a pretty good reputation for developing young pass rushers. Trey Hendrickson and Carl Granderson were two of his bigger success stories during his time with the New Orleans Saints. He’s expressed lots of excitement over what Booker can become. You saw glimpses of it last season. Now he is in top shape and has a greater understanding of the defense. Everything is lined up for a productive next few months.

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson set out a list of objectives for quarterback Caleb Williams last season. They were ambitious. It involved improving his footwork under center, upping his completion percentage, taking greater command of the huddle, and mastering pre-snap recognition of opposing defenses. All of this must happen while he’s trying to absorb a massive and complex new offense. It wasn’t a shock that Williams was a little uneven through the first several weeks of the season. However, things really started clicking in the second half.

He was probably playing his best football down the stretch. So when Johnson took to the podium for the start of training camp, he was asked what the goal was for his quarterback this time. Johnson had the answer ready, and it is something that is probably the final hurdle to Williams’ ascent to true elite status.

“He’s had two offseasons and one training camp so far, and a full season, obviously, to where he’s had a lot of the similar concepts repeat for him and now we’re at the point where he’s not thinking about the play call. He’s not thinking about the cadence, the motion, and all the jigamarole before the snap. Things are starting to slow down. And so what we need to see here in camp is that anticipation take it up a notch. I think with that, the coverage recognition gets taken up another notch.”

Lots of quarterbacks can find the open man and hit them. The problem is that this style of play requires an excellent offensive line to function at a high level. The truly great quarterback understands how to throw where their receiver will be. They know what routes are being run and what adjustments are made based on the coverage. The quarterback then throws the ball to a spot they expect the receiver to be. It’s almost impossible to defend when it’s clicking.

Ben Johnson knows the championship pedigree.

If you look at the past ten Super Bowl champions, the vast majority of the quarterbacks were at least very good in the anticipation department. Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, and Matthew Stafford can be called elite. Sam Darnold is very good. Nick Foles and Jalen Hurts aren’t overly good but benefited from great offensive line play, so it didn’t matter. Johnson doesn’t need a Harvard education to recognize reality. If you want to win championships in this league, you need a quarterback who can throw with anticipation.

The good news is that Williams demonstrated signs of this capability last season. While it wasn’t always present, there were some key moments where he ripped some top-tier passes without a single pause in his drop. His game-winning touchdown to Colston Loveland in Cincinnati is one example. The trick is getting it to where he can do that by instinct. This is the challenging part for Ben Johnson since Williams is also so good at improvising outside of the offensive structure.

Williams is right on schedule.

Typically, quarterbacks don’t start manifesting legitimate anticipation until around their third or fourth seasons in the league. This is supposed to be when they’ve gotten used to NFL speed and have a firm footing in whatever offensive system they’re part of. Williams is approaching that point. This will be his third season in the league and second in Johnson’s system. He should know all the basics by now and have begun taking the advanced courses. As things slow down, he’ll get much better at knowing where to go with the ball.

The other key is the receivers. Johnson didn’t hide his frustration with them after last season. Their route discipline wasn’t anywhere close to good enough. Too many miscommunications. Too many dropped passes. For all the talk about Williams’ improvement, no passing game can function as intended if the receivers are constantly making mental mistakes. So rest assured, the quarterback won’t be getting the harsh discipline alone. It will be team-wide.

The Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson have several roster battles to sort through in the next few weeks as training camp unfolds. Yet nobody would argue that left tackle is the most important. It is the most critical position on offense that isn’t the quarterback. It was also the most unsettled last season.

Braxton Jones started 2025 but was clearly not healthy. He was replaced by Theo Benedet, the former undrafted free agent who’d surprised in camp. After some encouraging games, his problems in pass protection saw him benched for rookie Ozzy Trapilo. It looked like the 2nd round pick was rounding into form, then he injured his knee in the playoffs. That forced the Bears to go with Joe Thuney in an emergency role in the divisional round.

Fast forward a few months, and it feels like the movie is about to repeat. Almost all of the same names are planning to battle for the job once again. Trapilo will not because of his knee recovery, but former 1st round pick Jedrick Wills was signed to add a fresh face to the mix. Still, most believe this is probably Jones’ job to lose.

Not according to Poles.

“We’ve got Braxton at a really good spot, probably the healthiest he’s been since his first year,” Poles said. “He’s got a lot of snaps under his belt. Theo has done a great job. We see what he’s done with his body this offseason, and he just continues to get bigger, stronger, faster to understand what we’re trying to do.

“I was really encouraged by Jedrick Wills and his progress that he’s made, and he’s put over double-digit lean mass on his body, which is something we were looking forward to as he gets back to what he was.”

Ryan Poles doesn’t seem convinced there is a clear favorite.

All three players spent the offseason working with former All-Pro left tackle Terron Armstead. He was an understudy to Bears offensive line coach Dan Roushar, so it was likely a great education in the fundamentals and hard work necessary to play at a high level. Each man arrived at camp in great shape, which is always a good sign. It is particularly true for Wills, who battled conditioning issues in Cleveland. This signals that all of them are going into this with a green light to practice as if the job is wide open.

Much of this will hinge on Trapilo’s outlook. Initially, there was skepticism that the young tackle would return this season. Patellar tendon injuries are tricky to heal from, especially for bigger athletes. However, recent evidence suggests his recovery is ahead of schedule. He’s already back working out and wasn’t wearing a knee brace in the limited footage. That is a good sign. While returning for the opener is out of the question, it’s possible he could be back by midseason. If this is true, the Bears may opt to go with whoever they believe helps them the most through the first six or seven games.

Flash won’t win this battle.

Getting a pancake block on a run play or a strong one-on-one rep in pass protection is great for the video packages. It won’t be what Johnson and Roushar look at once the time for a decision comes. They’ll be looking at the player who is the most consistent from snap to snap. They need someone who can survive on their own without constant help. Usually, that is the most technically sound one. None of Jones, Benedet, or Wills showed enough of that last season. That must be their focus over the next five weeks.

Much of this comes down to who utilizes their advantage best. Jones is the most experienced in terms of total starts. Benedet is probably their best run-blocker. Wills is the most talented overall. Can Jones stay healthy for a full camp? Can Benedet show any progress in pass protection? Can Wills iron out some of the fundamental issues that hampered him in Cleveland? Answers to these questions are forthcoming. Ryan Poles will wait to see if other moves are required.

There was a point in time when Kyler Gordon had the full trust and enthusiasm of the Chicago Bears organization. His success over the first couple of seasons as a nickel corner helped him land a lucrative contract extension. Then, in the space of barely a year, all of that goodwill has vanished. Gordon missed 14 games last season. It would be one thing if this were caused by one major injury, like a knee or Achilles. That stuff happens. However, his issue was recurring soft tissue problems.

So you can imagine the reaction when news broke that a calf problem had sidelined him for the start of training camp, landing him on the PUP list. General manager Ryan Poles spoke to the media for the first time on the team’s official report date for camp. While often measured with his comments, the team’s head executive didn’t mince words. He made it crystal clear that he and the organization are getting tired of Gordon failing to get his body right.

It didn’t stop there. Towards the end of the discussion, Poles dropped a minor bombshell. Gordon should not expect his job as the nickel cornerback to be guaranteed when he eventually does return. Head coach Ben Johnson and his staff have no reason to trust him at this point. They will not give him anything until he earns it. What happened last year has clearly led to some sour feelings.

Kyler Gordon has lost trust.

That can often be a death knell for players in the NFL. Struggling on the field is one thing. That can often be corrected with some adjustments to preparation and technique. The worst thing that can happen to you is that coaches no longer feel your presence would help the team. Gordon has reached that point of no return. Poles was being diplomatic with his comments. When head coach Ben Johnson was asked about it, he brushed the subject aside with two simple words.

“Get healthy.”

Some have felt that if Kyler Gordon hadn’t signed that contract extension last year, Johnson likely would’ve cut him already. Right now, it’s impossible due to cap penalties. That gives the cornerback a slight reprieve. Yet it sure sounds like the Bears have no plans on waiting for him anymore. They saw what that got them last season. Five games of mostly mediocre play. That is nowhere near acceptable. Johnson wants players who stay on the field. He had no hand in drafting Gordon, so there is no sense of loyalty to the player.

The cornerback has painted himself into a corner.

This is not a case where everything can be chalked up to terrible luck. Soft tissue injuries are a result of poor conditioning and preparation. Despite what Poles said about him working hard to get back, the evidence doesn’t back that up. Either Gordon has the flimsiest musculature of any player in the NFL, or the team is covering up other issues. There are rumors that he enjoys the nightclub lifestyle. Perhaps a little too much. That isn’t known for certain.

What is known is that Gordon has used up his last remaining life. If he can get back on the field and put together a strong training camp, there is a good chance he won’t be starting opening day in Carolina. The next month will be spent finding his replacement. Maybe it will be 4th round pick Malik Muhammad. Maybe veteran backups Josh Blackwell or Jaylon Jones take advantage of the opportunity. The Bears could also look to sign help in free agency. Either way, they’re about done with this experiment.

Ben Johnson has only been the head coach of the Chicago Bears for barely a year and a half. He doesn’t have any kind of legacy just yet. That takes time. What he does have is a reputation. It didn’t take long to realize Johnson is a driven man. His attention to detail and high standard of excellence became apparent from the first time he spoke to the media. He told players to get comfortable being uncomfortable. The man kept his word, putting the Bears through a grueling training camp, both mentally and physically. His reasoning was clear. If he could make the practices hard enough, games would become easy by comparison.

You can’t say it didn’t work.

The Bears went from 5-12 the previous year to 11-6, winning the division and beating Green Bay in the playoffs. It was characterized by a run of resilience few teams have ever seen, including seven 4th quarter comebacks. One would think that success might get Johnson to ease up on his approach, if only a little.

No such luck. Quarterback Caleb Williams can attest to that. He admitted to Kay Adams on her Up & Adams show that Johnson sat down with him this offseason and went through every single incompletion Williams threw last season. That is 281 passes.

Ben Johnson will not cut corners.

His objective remains to make Williams the best possible quarterback he can be. Last season was not good enough. The quarterback had the league’s lowest completion percentage (58.1%), and more importantly, the Bears didn’t win the Super Bowl. Johnson said his goal was to get Williams up to 70%, which he believes is the range necessary for true contenders. The quarterback fell way short of that mark, leaving a lot of plays on the field. The only way to correct that is by doing the homework to find out what went wrong.

Now, not all of those incompletions are on Williams. More than a few of them were throwaways, some were dropped passes, and some came from mistimed routes by the wide receivers. Make no mistake. Ben Johnson is just as committed to getting those cleaned up as well. His goal was to ensure Williams understood that there is a lot of room for improvement. Throwing for 3,941 yards and 27 touchdowns is a good start. The problem is it probably should’ve been well over 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns.

Somebody has to keep Williams honest.

It would be so easy for a young player to get a big head after what happened last season. Williams had the best season of any quarterback in Bears history. He was an overtime away from the NFC Championship. He’s on the cover of Madden and reached #51 of the top 100 players in the league. Some guys would start thinking they’ve arrived. It falls on Johnson to humble his young quarterback, reminding him that, in the grand scheme of things, he hasn’t accomplished anything. This game is measured through trophies, like MVPs and Super Bowls. Williams has neither.

A great way to keep his mind focused on the right things is by giving him a painstaking reminder of his faults. Dragging him through every incompletion last season is a great way to do that. The quarterback may not like it, but Johnson doesn’t care. He needs Williams to understand that if he wants to catch Tom Brady, he’d better start preparing like Tom Brady. That means putting in the extra work. Never be satisfied. Don’t be afraid to confront your faults. Quarterbacks who do that tend to achieve greatness.