Ben Johnson didn't need long to identify what the Chicago Bears are trying to build defensively, and his comments on Coby Bryant might be the clearest window yet into that vision. The 2026 NFL Owners meetings are taking place in Phoenix this week, where Ben Johnson had some comments to say about safety Coby Bryant, the most recent splash addition to Chicago's defense.
The 2026 NFL Owners meetings are taking place in Phoenix, where Johnson had some comments to say about safety Coby Bryant, the most recent splash addition to Chicago's defense.
The Bears' defense was not their strong suit during the 2025 season, landing at 29th overall in total defense. It is exceedingly impressive that the Bears managed to land the #2 seed in the playoffs, given that they had the worst defense among qualifying teams. Now, looking toward next season, the defensive identity is still forming, and while many players left for free agency, giving the Bears the chance to reform and rebuild their defense to look the way they know it can.
"It's something that 'DA' (Dennis Allen) brought up as we're going over self-scout over the last month and a half was the best defenses usually have two or three trained killers," Johnson said via chicagobears.com. "You usually don't have 11 of them, OK, but you've got two or three that are tone-setters that can really elevate the play of everyone around him. When we watched the tape, we felt like that jumped off when Coby was on the field. He's a guy that comes out, whether he's playing quarters, playing the post, playing down in the box, he's coming down, and if he sees somebody, he's looking to light them up.
Ben Johnson defines the Bears defensive blueprint through Coby Bryant
What Johnson is describing here is not a full defensive overhaul, but a very specific type of player that changes how everyone else operates. Kevin Byard was a phenomenal leader in both the locker room and on the field, and his veteran presence will sorely be missed. Not to mention that the man is a turnover machine.
Johnson is alluding to "trained killers" in much the same way hockey used to have enforcers on the ice. They're simply players who set the tone and establish the vibe of the team. An individual team doesn't need eleven of them, just a few that can emerge as the leaders of the team. Those are the sort of players that can install a collective identity of their own.
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That's where Bryant comes in. Johnson isn't just complimenting the young safety; he's using him as an example of what the Bears' defense can become. The Bears are building around tone setters, and it's going to be a work in progress. Bryant may be arriving in Chicago with a shiny new ring on his finger, but that doesn't mean the Bears, and more importantly, Bears fans, have high expectations for the future of the defense with Bryant at the forefront.