Bear Digest

Kevin Warren Urged to Look for Someone Besides Ben Johnson

Analysis: The idea of Ben Johnson interviewing for the Bears coaching job is a bad one in the view of one ESPN commentator and former NFL QB.
Gene Chamberlain|
Caleb Williams gets a hug from "timing passer" Jared Goff at the end of Sunday's 34-17 Lions win over the Bears.
Caleb Williams gets a hug from "timing passer" Jared Goff at the end of Sunday's 34-17 Lions win over the Bears. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Dan Orlovsky seems to relish the contrarian role.

So while the ESPN commentator and former Lion quarterback sees all of the attention focused on Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson being linked with the Bears head coaching job, it only seems natural he call this a bad fit.

One of the constant critics of Caleb Williams, Orlovsky, in a talk with Kevin Clark of ESPN2, called Johnson less than ideal for the Bears because of their quarterback, even while Courtney Cronin of the same network reported Johnson will be one of those the Bears want to seek out for an interview, much as NFL Network's Tom Pelissoro reported the same interest on Sunday.

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Orlovsky's reasoning starts with how Williams plays.

"I think No. 1, what's Caleb Williams' biggest issue? It was in college, it (is) in the NFL," Orlovsky said. "It's he just doesn't play that quickly, with completions."

Because Orlovsky doesn't view Williams as a timing passer in the same sense as Jared Goff, he thinks Johnson would be better off going elsewhere.

"You have to have a play caller in an offensive scheme that bakes in easy completions for that guy (Williams)," Orlovsky said. "We see it with Andy Reid and Matt Nagy, we don't see this with Ben Johnson. We really don't."

Orlovsky called Sean Payton and Bo Nix an ideal mix because Payton's offense is loaded with making the call and the easy throw. And whoever comes in must have their offense loaded with easy passes to help Williams make up what he's missed this year in development.

"I think finding baked-in completions for him where you're almost doing the thinking of it for him is almost paramount," Orlovsky said.

He sees Goff throwing all on timing, "with his feet," and doesn't see Williams able to play that way.

Orlovsky say he'd be very wary of such a pairing as Johnson and Williams. He summed it up by looking at the marriage of QB and coordinator.

"While that player is unbelievably talented, and that coach is unbelievably creative, together is that the perfect marriage? And I don't know if I'm there yet," he said.

He concluded the new Bears coach should be someone else who would be more in tune with Williams' strengths.

"I think I would very much entertain others if I was Kevin Warren."
Dan Orlovsky on hiring Ben Johnson

"I think I would very much entertain others if I was (team president) Kevin Warren," Orlovsky said.

That pass to Sam LaPorta Sunday sure didn't seem like a timing route based on Goff's feet.

Goff, after two seasons, had completed less than 60% of his passes and his passer rating was about what Williams' passer rating is for his rookie year.

Obviously Williams can improve on whatever perceived flaws are in his game. Goff doesn’t own the monopoly on this.

And if he can improve, then who’s to say in Year 2 he can’t be a QB who can handle Johnson’s impressive offensive system?

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.