Bear Digest

Significant votes of confidence for Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson

Guard Jonah Jackson has blocked for successful veteran QBs and did it in Ben Johnson's offense and sees Bears' progress with this offense right where it should be.
Gene Chamberlain|
Bears right guard Jonah Jackson sees little difference in Bears coach Ben Johnson now than when they were both in Detroit.
Bears right guard Jonah Jackson sees little difference in Bears coach Ben Johnson now than when they were both in Detroit. | Chicago Bears On SI Photo: Chicago Bears Video

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Jonah Jackson is a lineman, although he posed as a wide receiver trying to beat 340-pound Andrew Billings to close Thursday's practice in a comical O-line vs. D-line one-on-one passing drill.

As a lineman who has blocked in Ben Johnson's Detroit offense, and has been around both Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff as starting QBs, he's in a unique position to make comparisons. His thoughts could calm the nerves of many jittery Bears fans.

The training camp of Caleb Williams had seemed inconsistent, although it's open to interpretation. Jackson sees it coming around now and finds their quarterback situation to be promising within the Johnson attack.

"I think he’s been on his stuff since Day 1," said Jackson, the starting Bears right guard. "I didn’t get to see him as a rookie, so I don’t know, but I feel like he’s ... I’ve been around veteran quarterbacks my entire career, and he has the same way about himself, like these guys.

"He carries himself, he’s a good leader, guys respect him, and you know, having a new offense is definitely something to adjust to, but I feel like he’s doing great."

Johnson said he's shortening up the offensive calls now and simplifying as the season approaches, which should eliminate some of the inconsistency.

"I feel like we’re clicking on all cylinders now," Jackson said. "Like I said, there’s human errors and people are going to make mistakes here and there. That happened last year in Detroit when he was calling plays for them for three years, so I feel like we’re in a good spot and we’ll be able to keep moving forward and keep progressing."

As a Johnson alum, Jackson has had to answer questions for new teammates about their coach. Getting hollered at for failing to tend to details isn't something all pros are used to experiencing. Johnson doesn't hold back on anyone.

"He’s really always carried himself like the head coach, like the boss," Jackson said. "He’s got some swag to him. I think he’s the same guy as he was before."

He definitely has been asked by some teammates what is up with the yelling.

"Oh yeah, definitely," he said. "And you want those things, because if you don’t get it, it’s like, ‘I messed up real bad and nobody said anything.’ You should be real worried.

"That critical feedback is something we all need to help us develop and get better."

It's the thing the Bears said they lacked last year with the coaching staff and complained about it all the way to a 5-12 record and Matt Eberflus' firing.

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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.