The Chicago Bears made their whole fanbase jump for joy to kick off the week, as they officially confirmed that much-ballyhooed Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will succeed Matt Eberflus as the team's head coach.
The offense, collectively, must be rejoicing at this development. Not only will Johnson get the most out of ultra-talented top pick Caleb Williams, but he will likely play a huge role in turning the Bears' running game into a version of what he had with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery in Detroit.
If anyone on the offense has a right to be a bit perturbed with this move, it's running back D'Andre Swift. After the Lions cut bait with him following his third season, Swift was sent to his hometown Philadelphia Eagles before signing a three-year contract with the Bears.
Why was Swift even on the market? Because Johnson didn't see him as a fit for the offense in 2022. The Bears won't be financially ruined if they cut ties with him, and Swift knows that. His role could be in jeopardy if Johnson wants to instill his ideal offensive scheme.
Bears hiring Ben Johnson could be terrible for D'Andre Swift
The Bears may have been sold a lemon in Swift, who lost nearly a full yard per carry (4.6 in 2023 to 3.8 in 2024) and didn't even crack 1,000 yards despite a solid workload. While Swift fans will point to the Grand Canyon-like gap in quality between Philly's offensive line and Chicago's taxi squad, he also lacked the same juice he had before.
The only reason Swift was in Philly was Johnson souring on him during his first year as offensive coordinator in Detroit. Swift was essentially demoted in favor of Jamaal Williams, who scored 17 touchdowns in the 2022 season. Swift didn't even carry the rock 100 times for Johnson despite a 5.5 yards per carry average.
The Bears will have four top-75 picks this season, and this draft is exceedingly deep at running back. On Day 2 alone, Chicago will get to pick between North Carolina's Omarion Hampton, Iowa's Kaleb Johnson, and the 1-2 punch of Ohio State stars Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson.
No matter who the Bears add to the mix, it seems like bad news for a player in Swift that was already on some thin ice. Unless he changes Johnson's mind, 2025 could be rough sledding for him.