The Chicago Bears accomplished their top goal of the offseason: they hired an offensive-minded coach who can elevate quarterback Caleb Williams' game to the next level. With this home run hire in the rearview mirror, the Bears' next goal needs to be protecting Williams at all costs.
The Bears struggled immensely down the stretch last season. This is no secret. The bulk of it has to do with fired head coach Matt Eberflus' clock management and the team going 1-10 after the Washington Commanders Hail Mary play. But one issue that should get credit is the Bears' offensive line struggles, as well.
The Bears gave up the most sacks in the league last season with 68, per StatMuse. That's an average of four sacks per game. It's tough for any quarterback to succeed when he is getting sacked at this rate, especially a rookie just learning the NFL.
Ben Johnson must make protecting Caleb Williams a priority.
This is why it's so important the Bears learn how to protect Williams. His rookie year didn't live up to the hype of being a projected rookie of the year, but he showed he belongs in the NFL thanks to his pocket movement and efficiency.
With Johnson at the lead, the Bears should stock up on some offensive linemen who can better protect Williams. This is crucial. If the offensive line keeps giving up 68 sacks a season, Williams will regress. He won't learn how to read a defense, make progressions, and get the ball to the right receiver if he is constantly trying to buy time.
Johnson, an offensive mastermind, has shown he can build an offense. The Lions scored 564 points this season, the most in the NFL by a wide margin, per StatMuse. During his entire tenure with the Lions, they consistently ranked as one of the best offenses in the league.
Given his pedigree, it will be interesting to see what kind of offense he builds in the Windy City. One bold prediction is that the Bears' offense will feature lots of short, quick passes to make up for the offensive line struggles.