In the early months of his tenure as the Chicago Bears head coach, Ben Johnson hasn't shied away from any opportunity to talk about his direction for the Bears.
Johnson's latest interview came with Adam Hoge of CHGO. While covering the NFL's Owner Meetings this week, Hoge sat down with Johnson to talk all things Bears. While there were plenty of things to take from Johnson's interview, the biggest may be what the Bears plan on doing in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
During the interview, Johnson was asked about Penn State tight end Tyler Warren. Johnson's response left little doubt about what he feels about Warren.
There’s a part in here where TE Tyler Warren was discussed. The Bears, like many teams, consider him one of the best players in the draft. The Bears watched film of him together. DC Dennis Allen relayed to Ben Johnson and others how much of a problem he would be. https://t.co/WHPIAmAWqA
— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) March 31, 2025
Chicago Bears may have an eye on Tyler Warren
It's no secret Johnson's offense with the Detroit Lions placed an emphasis on the tight end position, so it would be fair to speculate that his offense with the Bears would have a similar structure. While the Bears do already have Cole Kmet, Warren could offer a level of play-maker at the tight end position that Kmet hasn't fully reached.
Even before Johnson's interview, there were clear signs the Bears had an interest in Warren. While Warren did not workout during Penn State's Pro Day, he will have a Top 30 visit with the Bears. The question becomes do the Bears like Warren enough to take him with the No. 10 selection or could they trade back and hope Warren is available later in the first round?
There have been mixed opinions when it comes to Warren. Once believed to be the clear top tight end in the draft, there have been recent suggestions that NFL teams are souring on the Penn State product. Of course, that may be some of the tongue-in-cheek wordplay that is evident across the NFL during the final weeks before the draft.
The selection of Warren wouldn't signal a trade of Kmet but one would question the fit. If the Bears were to select Warren in the first round, it would give the impression of him being the primary pass-catching tight end in Johnson's offense. Kmet could, in theory, move to a blocking tight end role but even that wouldn't fit his profile.