During his first press conference as the head coach of the Chicago Bears, Ben Johnson confirmed that Caleb Williams was one of the reasons why he jumped at the opportunity.
In saying that Williams was one of the factors that drew him torward becoming the Bears' head coach, he had a very direct message in saying that success extends to players outside of Williams as well.
The framework for that success is there as the Bears have Cole Kmet, D'Andre Swift, DJ Moore, and Rome Odunze as the key playmakers on offense to support Williams. It would seem that Johnson's remarks likely can be a reflection of the Bears' offensive line.
Entering this offseason, the Bears could be looking for as many as three new starters on the offensive line. Even Braxton Jones, the left tackle whose success is carrying the caveat of "for a fifth-round pick", could be replaced if the Bears have a path toward a high-ceiling left tackle in the 2025 NFL Draft. Entering the offseason, right tackle Darnell Wright should be considered the only fixture on the offensive line.
Assuming the Bears are able to upgrade the offensive line this offseason, don't expect Johnson's first iteration of the offense under Williams to look like the offense he constructed with the Detroit Lions.
Ben Johnson on Caleb Williams: pic.twitter.com/SgoWs5JFyZ
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 22, 2025
Caleb Williams will have an offense catered to his strengths.
Williams is a completely different style of quarterback from Lions' Pro-Bowl quarterback Jared Goff. Between his ability to make plays with his feet or his innovative nature being able to keep plays alive, Williams offers Johnson a style of quarterback that is more aligned with modern offenses. While that is no slight toward Goff, it is an acknowledgment that Williams' athleticism could add a new layer to Johnson's offense.
Johnson's offense with the Bears will be Williams' offense. Unlike the last time the Bears hired an offensive-minded head coach in Matt Nagy, who refused to change his offense to cater to the needs of Mitch Trubisky and Justin Fields. With Johnson confirming he will be constructing a new offense catered around what Williams can do, the Bears finally may be ready to play modern football.