Bears are following NFC North rival's proven formula, per NFL insider

The Chicago Bears have had a wildly successful offseason, in part, because they're following an already proven winning formula.

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If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the Chicago Bears are really flattering the Detroit Lions.

General manager Ryan Poles has followed the Lions' winning blueprint almost step by step this offseason, beginning with the hiring of Ben Johnson as head coach and continuing through his many investments to rebuild the offensive line.

In fact, it's so clear that the Bears are following the NFC North leader that Sports Illustrated NFL insider Albert Breer made note of it in a recent article about his one thought for every team's offseason.

"I like how the Bears followed the blueprint their head coach, Ben Johnson, used to win in Detroit," Breer wrote. "First and foremost, building up the offensive line was accomplished through trades for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, as well as the free-agent signing of center Drew Dalman. Chicago also upgraded its defense, bringing in Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett. Ultimately, where this season goes and how it’s judged will likely be determined by the progress of quarterback Caleb Williams under Johnson."

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To be fair, it wasn't really Johnson's blueprint that led to wins in Detroit. But his offense certainly helped.

READ: New Caleb Williams comp will have Chicago Bears fans cringing

Indeed, much of Johnson's offensive success was built around what's now become one of the NFL's top offensive lines. The Lions made a strong commitment to the trenches, culminating with a remarkable 15-2 record last season.

The Chicago Bears may need more than just one offseason to become that kind of winning franchise, but they're off to a great start. As Breer noted, the Bears' many moves along the offensive line have been all about getting the most out of Caleb Williams, who was sacked a league-high 68 times as a rookie.

That shouldn't be the case in 2025, and if Williams is as good as his scouting report predicted he'd be, then there's no cap on how many games this team could win under Johnson, even in his first season.

The Lions progressed year over year while Johnson was in charge of the offense. They won nine games in 2022, improved to 12 wins in 2023, and their 15 wins in 2024 were a single-season franchise record.

Even if the Bears win nine games in 2025, it would qualify as a massive improvement. It would be the team's most single-season wins since 2018.

So, yeah. Copy the Lions. Bears fans won't care if it means the beginning of a remarkable run in Chicago.

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• Confidence in Caleb Williams remains high as 2025 NFL season approaches