Head coach Ben Johnson knew the offensive line would be central to any success he’d have with the Chicago Bears. He had to find a coach with credibility. Thanks to a tip from Dan Campbell, he recruited Dan Roushar for the job. The 65-year-old had a strong reputation thanks to his extended success with the New Orleans Saints in the late 2010s. He was a great choice to help whip a unit that had just allowed 68 sacks into shape. His impact was felt immediately. Chicago allowed just 24 sacks in 2025 and ranked 3rd in the league in rushing.

Joe Thuney and Darnell Wright both made All-Pro, while Drew Dalman made the Pro Bowl. It was a stunning turnaround of fortunes. How in the world did Roushar accomplish it so quickly? Former left tackle Terron Armstead knows why. He’d experienced the man first-hand during their time together in New Orleans, and detailed that on the Bears Etc. podcast. Unlike many offensive line coaches in the league, Roushar had certain traits that made him special. Most notably, he was willing and able to actually teach and develop his players.

Dan Roushar was somewhat unique in that regard.

“I’m passionate about it. I’m passionate about it for sure, because he…when I got to the NFL, Jeff, I thought all coaches were gurus. These guys know everything about the position. They gonna turn everyone into a master. That is so far from the truth. A lot of these guys, a lot of the coaches in the NFL, they know scheme. They know matchups. They know the playbook inside and out. They’ve been with their head coach and went from the Saints to Seattle to Denver to Vegas. Do you know what I (found out)? They’ve been together, but not necessarily developing.

It’s not as many developers in the NFL as I thought when I got there. You’re coming in as a professional. So, a lot of times you’re supposed to be a professional already and supposed to have these answers. And not saying that coaches don’t have drills and all the things that help improve what you have and what you do, but not all are able to truly develop and teach technique and really get the progression that other programs (can). You can see it around the league. You can see certain teams that draft well, they develop well, and you see others that’s more free agent heavy, guys that are more ready.”

Dan Roushar understands coaching and developing aren’t the same.

The unfortunate truth of college football is that few of the coaches down there actually take the time to teach the full array of fundamentals at every position. They merely do just enough so that players understand how to execute whatever scheme and system they’re playing in. That is why they appear so woefully unprepared once they reach the NFL. Pro systems are far more complex and diverse. Most of them don’t lean on the set of techniques that those players learn. That is why they’re forced to work so hard catching up.

Too many of them never do because they don’t have coaches willing to take the time to teach them. Roushar is different. He understands that true NFL success can’t happen unless your linemen can execute anything and everything asked of them. That requires players who understand the details down to their bones. So he grills them every single day, challenging them to master the fundamentals and expand their arsenal as far and wide as possible. That is how Armstead became one of the best in football.

His first big test is coming this year.

Last season, Dan Roushar wasn’t required to work much magic. The Bears provided him with an assortment of quality veterans to coach. Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson had already played in the NFL for years. They didn’t need much finetuning. The only real job Roushar had was developing 2nd round pick Ozzy Trapilo. That was going well until the big tackle tore his patella in the playoffs. Things are considerably different going into the 2026 season.

Dalman abruptly retired at age 27, leaving the center position in flux. Veteran Garrett Bradbury and 2nd round pick Logan Jones will battle for it in training camp. Trapilo’s absence leaves left tackle unresolved as well. Braxton Jones, Jedrick Wills, Theo Benedet, and Kiran Amegadjie are all possibilities. It is times like these that someone like Roushar earns his money. He must grill these young men, seeking to find the one most capable of handling the immense responsibility of being a starter.

Armstead doesn’t think that will be a problem.

Former All-Pro left tackle Terron Armstead has found the next phase of his football life. After retiring, he faced the same challenge as other former players. What now? He quickly jumped into the podcast sphere, establishing his own show. However, it seems he’s decided to also dabble in coaching as well. Armstead has taken up the task of tutoring young offensive linemen on how to play the position in the NFL. The Chicago Bears have taken full advantage of this, sending all of their tackles to work with him. It started with Braxton Jones and has since grown to include Darnell Wright, Theo Benedet, and Kiran Amegadjie.

Armstead has been complimentary of all four, praising their work ethic and desire to improve. Wright is as advertised. One of the best right tackles in football and is only getting better. However, the person that Armstead was surprisingly positive about was Amegadjie. Bears fans have long given up on the former 3rd round pick, believing his window to contribute has closed after two years of spending more time in the training room than on the field.

Terron Armstead believes his potential is being undersold.

“You got some guys. Kiran can play. He’s been injured and dealing with those issues. The kid’s got game. He’s strong. He’s tough. He’s smart. He’s physical. He’s learning the right things. He’s hungry for an opportunity. And although he’s doing all these things right right now, don’t guarantee him nothing. And he understands that, too. But that doesn’t mean don’t do the things right. Like you keep doing what you’re supposed to do. He can have another injury this year. You get your ass back up and you go back in rehab. You get back right. You go attack it the right way again. You do your part. He’s doing his part, man. He can play. He can play.”

Armstead knows what Amegadjie is going through.

People often forget that he dealt with his fair share of injury problems throughout his NFL career with New Orleans and Miami. He missed 17 games through his first four years alone. Such setbacks would’ve broken the spirit of other players. Armstead refused to let that happen. He kept working his way back and resumed playing elite-level football when he did return. It is how he managed to play 12 years in the league and make five Pro Bowls. Dwelling on the setbacks doesn’t do you any favors. Get back up and get to work.

It appears Amegadjie has taken that to heart. He was right there with his teammates, doing everything possible to improve ahead of training camp. Meanwhile, Jedrick Wills, the supposed challenger to Jones for the left tackle job, was nowhere to be found. People have said the former 1st round pick lacked the passion and resilience to survive in the NFL. It isn’t the greatest look when you’re not taking advantage of opportunities like working with Terron Armstead.

Amegadjie needs two things to break his way.

The first and most obvious is good health. Making it through training camp and the preseason without a significant injury setback is vital. Bears coaches want to see how he does with a steady string of practices to work with. The talent has never been questioned. He has the size, length, and athleticism to be a starting left tackle in the NFL. The issue was always his lack of experience and his health. You can’t solve the former if the latter is constantly getting in the way. This summer represents his last chance to do something about it.

Right now, Jones is the heavy favorite to claim the starting left tackle job in place of the injured Ozzy Trapilo. Wills is penciled in as his biggest challenger, but it sounds like Armstead believes Amegadjie should not be counted out. He has the traits and the want-to that will keep him in the conversation. All it takes is that one moment when the light bulb goes on, and everything changes. The Bears seem willing to give him that opportunity despite all the frustration to this point.

Head coach Ben Johnson did his own research about the Chicago Bears before accepting the job last year. He needed to know what he was walking into. He came away with some important conclusions. He liked the talent, particularly quarterback Caleb Williams. There were pieces to work with. However, one thing became evident from watching the tape. The Bears weren’t tough enough. There were too many instances of guys being pushed around or not being aggressive enough. That could not and would not fly on Johnson’s watch.

So from the moment he took over, he had to set the tone with a message. One method involved putting up a sign in the team meeting room. It had to be something that conveyed exactly what he expected from players in no uncertain terms. Courtney Cronin of ESPN revealed what it was.

The sign in the Bears’ team meeting room at Halas Hall hammers home a core tenet: Physicality. And the message is not confined to certain position groups.

“I don’t care if you’re a lineman, which is [who] you normally think of [being] physical, but also our receivers and our DBs, between the blocking and the tackling, [being physical has] got to show up in terms of how they do things fundamentally,” Johnson said.

Johnson believes down to his bones that the more physical teams win the most football games. It was no different last year as the aggressive and tough Seattle Seahawks battered their way to a Super Bowl title. If the Bears want to get there, they have to adopt the same mentality. It became clear as the season progressed that they bought in quickly.

The Chicago Bears are finally going back to their roots.

Team founder George Halas understood the fundamental essence of football better than most. Throughout his illustrious Hall of Fame career, he learned lessons that carried him to multiple championships. Among those realities was the understanding that the game is demanding.

“If you want to win, you have to be willing to pay the price.”

The physical aspect of the game was the toughest part. He never denied that. The key was instilling yourself with the spirit and will to endure the pain while inflicting it on the opponent. Make them break first.

“At least 80 percent of the success of the football team is determined by the fight and spirit that they put into their play.”

These were philosophies the Bears seemed to carry forward for years after his death, first by Mike Ditka and then by Dave Wannstedt and Lovie Smith. However, somewhere in the past decade, the organization lost its way. They became more focused on finesse over force, and it cost them their edge. It is why they always seemed to fold when games got tight. Johnson made it his mission to bring back the identity that made the franchise an institution in the first place.

Each offseason pushed the Bears further towards this.

Just look at their draft. Dillon Thieneman was a physical safety at Oregon. Logan Jones thrived in the run game at center for Iowa, as did Sam Roush at tight end for Stanford. All of these guys built their reputations on playing some form of bully ball. No doubt that was part of the reason Johnson wanted them. To have the kind of identity you want for a football team, you must acquire players who fit it. The Chicago Bears have done that as well as they have in years.

Opponents didn’t like it much last season. Teams like Philadelphia, Cincinnati, New Orleans, Washington, and Green Bay wanted no part of it. The Bears came at you like a jackhammer, hitting every weak point until you finally cracked. That figures to get even nastier as the roster moves further and further into that mindset. The best Bears teams in history were known for being bullies. Johnson is intent on reaching that same level, and one sign serves as a reminder for everybody.

The Chicago Bears aren’t likely to make any significant roster moves, at least for the next couple of months. Head coach Ben Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles want to see where the roster is at in training camp. Depending on how that goes, they may feel compelled to make a move for help. One that has long been discussed among fans and media is the pass rush. A trio of Montez Sweat, Austin Booker, and a post-torn Achilles Dayo Odeyingbo isn’t inspiring much confidence. Hope still lingers that the team will seek proven help from somewhere. Anywhere. This is where Josh Sweat comes in.

It was reported weeks ago that the veteran edge rusher isn’t happy in Arizona. The Cardinals fired the head coach he signed on to play for. Now he’s stuck on a rebuilding team playing for coaches he doesn’t know. That is why it is believed he’s quietly pressing Arizona to trade him. After 12.5 sacks last season, Sweat is the obvious type of pass rusher the Bears need. So you can imagine it’s interesting when a new Fox reporter, Devan Kaney, dropped his name during a recent broadcast.

Interesting because she worked closely with Sweat during his time with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Joke? Hint? It’s clear enough Josh Sweat is floating out there.

If anybody has at least some connection to the veteran pass rusher, it would be Kaney. Eagles radio would’ve had close ties to the team. There is no doubt she interviewed him at least a few times. Maybe that was a bit of her insider leaking out. If so, this is a pretty big deal. Adding somebody like Sweat to the mix would instantly change the outlook for the Bears’ defense. They’d go from one double-digit pass rusher (Sweat) to two, and Booker’s improvement late last season would inspire much more confidence as the team’s third rotational guy.

The obvious variable in this situation is Arizona. How determined are they to keep Sweat? It’s no secret they’re basically lining up to tank this season after letting quarterback Kyler Murray walk. Trading the pass rusher for a decent draft pick would certainly help that endeavor, but they also don’t want to weaken a defense that was already pretty bad, even further. This may come down to how hard Sweat pushes. If he really amps up the pressure, there is a strong possibility they may cave to his demands before the season begins.

Don’t expect the Bears to move until they sense the price is right.

One thing we know about Poles is that they have a certain price in their minds that he won’t go over. That is why you often hear about the Bears bowing out of sweepstakes for big names so often. He will not mortgage the future of his team for any one player. If Josh Sweat is a target, it will have to be at a price he’s comfortable with. We know he was willing to give up a 2nd round pick for Montez three years ago. However, he was younger than Sweat is now. They’re probably looking at a 3rd round pick as the red line.

Would Arizona take that? Probably not right now. They might be hoping to win Sweat around to staying put, or hoping to get more. There are two likely deadlines to watch here. Either it will be before the start of training camp later this month, or before the start of the regular season. Much depends on whether Sweat reports or not. If he does, the Bears may have to wait until the trade deadline in November for a true shot at him, presuming the Cardinals are out of the playoff picture as most expect.

One story you often find repeating over the course of sports history is that of a good team that loses a tough playoff game. Rather than get discouraged by missing the opportunity, they get angry. They know they should’ve finished the job. So they approach the following offseason with murderous intent. Everybody puts in extra hours of work. Players and coaches are laser-focused. The Oakland A’s did it in 1989. The Miami Dolphins did it in 1972. More recently, the San Antonio Spurs did it in 2014. By the sounds of things, the Chicago Bears might be entering that zone.

Reports out of spring practices indicated that quarterback Caleb Williams looked sharper and more motivated than at any point last season. Courtney Cronin of ESPN confirmed this and more in her recent column. It appears everybody on the roster has taken it upon themselves to put in extra work. Wide receiver Kalif Raymond, no stranger to extra reps from his time in Detroit, was shocked to find that he didn’t really have to push guys to stick around after practice. Many of them were already doing it.

“Before a June minicamp session, with the sun baking the Chicago Bears’ practice field, wide receiver Kalif Raymond approached tight end Colston Loveland about staying late to catch extra passes. But there was a problem — Loveland had already caught 100 extra balls before practice…

…The practice field routinely featured players who stayed 30 to 40 minutes longer to fine-tune their craft. Quarterbacks and receivers worked on their chemistry while defensive backs — a unit that helped the Bears lead the NFL with 23 interceptions last year — worked overtime with the JUGS machine.”

The Chicago Bears know they let one slip away.

Everything was clicking last season. They’d overcome a 0-2 start to finish 11-6 and won the NFC North title. This momentum carried into the wild card round, where they erased a 21-3 lead to beat the Green Bay Packers 31-27. Then, against the heavily favored Los Angeles Rams, they again rallied in the final seconds to force overtime on a preposterous touchdown pass by Williams. The defense got an immediate stop, meaning the offense only needed a field goal to win it. They were driving down the field, knocking on the door.

Then Williams got greedy, throwing an interception that enabled the Rams to escape with the win. It was a frustrating way to end the season. The Chicago Bears knew they should’ve finished that game and gone to the NFC Championship. Given how that game and the Super Bowl went, it isn’t crazy to think they would’ve at least had a shot to win the championship. It came down to an uncomfortable truth. They weren’t prepared enough. Too many mistakes and not enough clutch plays in key moments.

This is a lesson most future champions learn.

Look back at all the recent examples in Chicago history. The 1984 Chicago Bears lost in the NFC Championship. Michael Jordan and the Bulls had to get bullied by the Detroit Pistons for three straight seasons before they finally developed the mental and physical toughness to break through in 1991. The Blackhawks fell in the 2009 playoffs to the veteran Detroit Red Wings, fresh off their own Stanley Cup win. Then you had the Chicago Cubs getting swept in the 2015 ALCS. Heartbreaking losses are often the catalyst for forging eventual champions.

It seems like that gutpunch in the divisional round had a similar effect for this team. Obviously, they must still go out and prove it. The NFL won’t hand them anything. If the Bears want it, they’ll have to take it. That is what all the extra work is for. They are preparing their minds and bodies for war. Enough of the aw-shucks, just happy to be there attitude. This team is in it now. They’re not sneaking up on anybody. Every opponent will give them their full attention. If they want respect, it must be earned.