As Chicago Bears fans were still in the honeymoon stage after the Bears hired Ben Johnson to be their new head coach, team president Kevin Warren announced there would be a 10% increase to season-ticket packages for games at Soldier Field next season.
Warren referred to the hire of Johnson when announcing the price increases, but he also alluded to the team having an aggressive approach his offseason to ensure that the 2024 failures are not repeated in 2025.
“We are making clear, intentional, and strategic decisions to ensure our 2025 season meets the expectations of both our organization and our fans,” Warren said. “Our focus will remain the same — we must perform well on the football field, continue to build a world-class business operation, and break ground on a transformative stadium. A key step in our future football success is the hiring of Ben Johnson as the head coach of the Chicago Bears. We are confident this decision will positively impact this franchise for many years," Warren outlined to season ticket holders.
The Bears have close to $90MM in salary cap space this offseason. Given the amount of money the Bears have at their disposal, many have been quick to point the Bears in the direction of Trey Smith. The latest expectation is that the Kansas City Chiefs won't be re-signing Smith prior to the start of free agency, allowing the Bears to swoop and sign the top offensive lineman on the market this Spring.
Ryan Poles met with reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday, and in doing so, the general manager outlined the team's mindset for the 2025 NFL Free Agency period.
Ryan Poles on being more aggressive in free agency:
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) February 25, 2025
“The clearer the vision, the more aggressive you can be.”
Ryan Poles teases a pursuit of a big-ticket 2025 NFL Free Agent
Aggressive has certainly been a theme of Poles' offseasons as the Bears general manager. But one thing he hasn't done is spend money for the mere purpose of spending money. The Bears were aggressive in their past signings of D'Andre Swift, Tremaine Edmunds, and T.J. Edwards but the team has often shied away from the top of the market under Poles' watch.
When talking about the "clear vision" of the Bears' offseason, it is clear the team has a need for two new starting guards and a starting center. That vision should create the urgency for the Bears to pursue Smith.
The hiring of Johnson has seemingly put football operations for the Bears back in the right direction. Confirmation of that fact will be provided by how successful Poles is in his free agency pursuits.