Who knew that one move by a team could make all the difference in the world?
The Chicago Bears dominated offseason headlines with the hiring of their new head coach Ben Johnson as he takes over a team that finished 5-12 in 2024. That move by the Bears made a significant impact on the league.
CBS Sports writer Tyler Sullivan ranked Johnson to the Bears and Aaron Glenn to the New York Jets as their new head coach as the second-ranked most impactful offseason move. The move has a direct effect on the Lions as they try to make the postseason again without their top coordinators from 2024 while improving the Bears.
"The good news for the Lions is that in each of the previous four instances where a team retained its head coach but lost both coordinators to head coaching jobs in the same offseason, that club still made the playoffs the following season. While that's encouraging, it remains to be seen if Detroit will be better, the same or worse without Johnson and Glenn. If it's the latter, that'll have major ramifications in the NFC North race and the overall NFC playoff picture."
"Johnson decided to stay in the division with the Bears, who dramatically improved their roster this offseason. If he brings just baseline coaching to the organization, Chicago could be in the playoff hunt."
There is more behind why the Bears were able to take down the Lions with Johnson's hiring
Detroit is losing an offensive genius in Johnson. He had the Lions' offense ranked in the top five in points and yards in each of his three seasons as the offensive coordinator.
Johnson brings that talent for play calling and creativity to a Bears team that is desperately needing it after finishing dead last in total offense with roughly 284 yards per game. The Bears also need someone who can work directly with quarterback Caleb Williams to address his issues of holding onto the football too long and taking too many sacks.
Johnson's ability to influence the Bears' roster turnaround in the offseason was significant for them and had a direct impact on the Lions. Johnson and Bears general manager Ryan Poles executed two trades for offensive guards, signed a center, and selected three offensive players in the NFL Draft. Those are guys the Lions could have potentially had if they had found a way to keep him or stray him to a team outside the NFC North.
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It's a beautiful thing for a Bears fan to see the Lions impacted in so many ways with Johnson jumping ship to another NFC North team.