The first task for Ben Johnson is filling out his coaching staff with the Chicago Bears.
One coach who won't be making the jump with Johnson to the Bears is Hank Fraley. When Johnson was first announced as the Bears head coach, there was speculation that Fraley may join his staff as an offensive coordinator. Instead, despite having interest from the Seattle Seahawks, Fraley will remain with the Lions.
Chicago Bears News: Al Harris leaves Dallas Cowboys to join Bears.
While Fraley won't be joining the Bears, Johnson made several notable hires on Friday. The first hire reported was Al Harris. Harris, the former standout Green Bay Packers defensive back, has seen his coaching profile on the rise with the Cowboys, given his work with Dallas' secondary.
🚨 Breaking Scoop 🚨
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) January 24, 2025
Al Harris has agreed to terms with the #Bears to join incoming head coach Ben Johnson as the team's passing game coordinator in 2025 — parting ways with the #Cowboys.
A huge loss for Dallas. A huge get for Chicago.
Full story: https://t.co/8puWQ8RbTx pic.twitter.com/Fyw0Cv2eWu
Chicago Bears News: Antwaan Randle El and J.T. Barrett making the jump from the Detroit Lions
While the Bears were unable to pluck Fraley away from the Detroit Lions, Johnson was able to poach Antwaan Randle El and J.T. Barrett.
Bears are working to finalize a deal to make former Lions WR coach Antwaan Randle El their new assistant head coach/wr coach, per source. Randle El is following Ben Johnson to Chicago. pic.twitter.com/07O2FkxBQn
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 24, 2025
Giving Randle El the assistant head coach title likely was the key in Johnson plucking him from the Lions' coaching staff. The move to the Bears serves as a homecoming for Randle El, a Chicago native. In addition to Randle El, J.T. Barrett is joining the move from the Lions to the Bears and will be serving as Caleb Williams' quarterbacks coach.
Johnson is taking a page directly out of Dan Campbell's playbook. When Campbell assembled his coaching staff with the Lions, it was mostly former players who took on the positional coach roles. It may seem like a small detail but for a Bears' team that had a coaching staff that didn't resonate with the players over the last three seasons, this shift is needed.
Chicago Bears News: Matt Eberflus reportedly headed to the Dallas Cowboys
All indications are that former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus will be returning to the Dallas Cowboys organization. The Cowboys have hired Brian Schottenheimer as their head coach on Friday. Under Schottenheimber, Eberflus is expected to serve as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator.
Sources consider former #Bears head coach Matt Eberflus a prime candidate for the #Cowboys defensive coordinator job under new coach Brian Schottenheimer, per sources. Eberflus was a Cowboys assistant from 2011-17. pic.twitter.com/tIPvtLA6II
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 25, 2025
Despite his shortcomings as the head coach of the Bears, the fact remains that Eberflus made it to a third season with the team, in part, due to his ability to call plays on defense. There should be no surprise that he was able to find landing in the NFL as a defensive coordinator.