Since Ben Johnson's arrived in Chicago, all the focus has been on how he'll simply make the Bears' offense competent. It's not the most exciting bar to clear, but, you know, baby steps. Getting Caleb Williams sacked less than 150 times next year would be a great place to start.
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Something that hasn't been talked about much – and, sigh, probably for good reason – is the playbook full of shenanigans that Johnson's bringing to Chicago. Bears fans know first-hand the type of trickery that the Johnson-schemed Lions could pull out of nowhere, and now it's time for some random Bears BS (but, like, in a good way this time) a couple times per game. It's very exciting.
We obviously won't have any ideas what those plays look like, but during veteran minicamp at Halas Hall this week, we might have gotten a tiny clue. And when I mean 'tiny clue,' I mean that in the most underwhelming way possible. But it's not nothing!
Ben Johnson has offensive linemen running pass-catching drills in minicamp
Oh, so when Ben Johnson gives the ball to an offensive lineman, it's fun and sexy, but when Matt Eberflus does it at the one-yard line during a live game it's, 'kind of a fireable offense?' Justice for Matt Eberflus.
OR, maybe this is just gamesmanship. Of course Johnson wants to let the NFC North see that he's schemeing up passes for linemen. Now defensive coordinators have to get a secondary guy on them. Now Rome Odunze is running down the seam wide open. Easy six. Now the Bears are up 17 going into halftime, and Matt LaFleur's head is spinning. All because Ben Johnson was cunning enough to line up Ozzy Trapilo as an eligible receiver. Game over. The Bears are back.