Chicago Bears Have Officially Become a Ben Johnson Offense-First Franchise

The Chicago Bears needed a big season from quarterback Caleb Williams in 2025 in the worst way. His underwhelming rookie year led many to wonder if the Bears had once again drafted the wrong quarterback, especially after second-overall pick Jayden Daniels won the NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award and helped his team reach the NFC Championship game. But the Bears showed faith in Williams by hiring Ben Johnson as the team's head coach, and he rewarded them by leading Chicago to an NFC North division title and a miraculous Wild Card win over the Green Bay Packers.

Now, the Bears are doubling down on their belief in Williams as they continue to surround him with playmakers and quality protectors, even seemingly at the expense of the defense. The Bears' 2026 NFL draft class has drawn some criticism for its lack of investment in the defensive line, which remains Chicago's biggest need. The Bears have a lot of hype for Jordan van den Berg, their sixth-round defensive tackle, but it remains to be seen if he will make an impact. Most notably, all three of Chicago's Day 2 picks went to the offense, at positions that weren't necessarily considered needs.

From @SportsCenter: How will Caleb Williams benefit from the Chicago Bears' 2026 draft picks? pic.twitter.com/j0BPGBtUSN
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) May 1, 2026

ESPN's Courtney Cronin discussed this element of Chicago's draft class on SportsCenter on Friday morning, saying, "You can really tell coming away from the 2026 NFL draft how much this roster, and how much this team, is being built in Ben Johnson's vision." She referenced the Logan Jones pick, which I gave an 'A' grade, as Chicago's "center of the future". Meanwhile, Cronin also described how Sam Roush will help the Bears run the kind of offense they want to run, serving as a depth piece for now but with potential to be the second tight end behind Colston Loveland, and Zavion Thomas as a "gadget player" who brings the kind of speed that will open up Ben Johnson's offense.

Ben Johnson's vision is a team led by its quarterback

Caleb William — Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

Bears fans are apprehensive about the state of the defense, and for good reason. The defensive line was a non-factor last season, and it hasn't changed much this offseason. Making another postseason run will be difficult if the defense can't bring down the quarterback or get off the field. Plus, Bears fans are used to dominant defenses that keep offensive coordinators up at night.

That's not Ben Johnson's vision for this team. He wants a quality defense, of course, but it's clear that his version of the road back to the Super Bowl starts and ends with the offense. If the Bears are to return to glory, it will be by the arm of Caleb Williams and the mind of Ben Johnson. To that end, it makes sense that the Bears would give him an embarrassment of riches on offense. After all, you don't give the high-powered engine of a racecar discount motor oil. You give it the best stuff that money can buy.

There's no excuses left for Caleb Williams

The Bears have gone out of their way to set Williams up for success. As Cronin noted, the Bears threw everything plus the kitchen sink into fixing the offensive line last year. They've now spent five Top 100 picks on pass catchers since 2024. Williams was good in 2205, but there's still a long way to go before he can be said to have lived up to the hype of a No. 1 pick.

The 2026 NFL season will be Williams' second year with Ben Johnson, and the first time he's had the same offensive play caller in back-to-back seasons since the 2023 CFB season. He should be in greater command of the offense by now, and his offense is stacked with top draft picks and pricy veterans. Ryan Poles has set the table and is now awaiting the green light to sign Caleb Williams to a massive contract extension. It's up to Williams to earn it in 2026.

The Bottom Line

Ben Johnson intends to be the architect of a high-flying, modern offense, with Caleb Williams as the linchpin, that propels the Bears to a Super Bowl. That's his vision for this team, and it's something that this city hasn't seen since the days of Sid Luckman and the T-formation. In those years, the Bears were at the forefront of offensive innovation in football, and it's about time that they return to that position. Ryan Poles apparently agrees, given how the last two draft classes have gone.

Buckle up, Bears fans. If everything goes according to plan, then the wild success and euphoric celebrations of the 2025 season will prove to have been nothing but a precursor of the glory to come.

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