Skip to main content
Bear Digest

The Bears Weapon Ben Johnson Says He's Willing to Use This Season

The Bears coach alters his offense from year to year according to one former player, and now he is voicing more willingness to use a specific type of pass.
Gene Chamberlain|
Rome Odunze signs autographs during training camp at Halas Hall. Odunze sees the chance for more 50-50 catches this year.
Rome Odunze signs autographs during training camp at Halas Hall. Odunze sees the chance for more 50-50 catches this year. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In this story:

Chicago Bears

Earlier in Bears training camp, wide receiver Kalif Raymond told everyone Ben Johnson evolves.

His play-calling and design of plays changes to incorporate new things, and Raymond would know because he already played three seasons under Johnson in Detroit.

On Tuesday, Johnson and Rome Odunze provided concrete evidence of one way the offense can change.

“Rome's looking to play fast and he's looking to be great at the top of his routes," Johnson said. "He's a bigger body and so part of what his superpower is the contested catches, as well.

"I'm not concerned. I think he's making plenty of separation as is right now. And I'm really pleased with what it looks like between Caleb (Williams) and him, where the ball's being placed and him being able to torque and go up for the football when needed. He brings a different element to the offense than maybe what I've been around in the past. And I look forward to sinking into that.”

The different element provided is that contested catch. Remember back to last season, Johnson said he isn't a 50-50 guy. His logic is he can scheme something to have a receiver wide open enough that the odds are better than 50-50. Also, Williams had parroted Johnson and said he didn't like 50-50 balls. It was a good thing for him to say just to sound like he was on the same page with his new head coach then, even if he actually wouldn't mind throwing some.

As for Odunze, how could he not like but have the chance to do more of what he did at Washington in college. He was one of those receivers who said the 50-50 ball became 75-25 when thrown his way, although the Bears didn't throw many of them.

"I love it," Odunze said after Tuesday's practice. "I think that's definitely something, especially like on the outside, those opportunities, just to stress the defense.

"I feel like, you know, when it's a one-on-one opportunity out there and we got safety leverage or something like that, then, you know, one-on-one kind of 50-50 ball is one of my expertise. So something I'm excited about, something we've definitely worked on in camp."

The 50-50 ball might be something Odunze likes to do but what works is what Johnson is going to go to the most. It's going to take Odunze actually showing more plays where he does haul in those back-shoulder throws or a late lob over the middle to the side away from the safety before they can be entirely confident in this.

Odunze has his own demons to exorcise. He needs to show better hands than last year, whether in jump balls or running against a zone in a contested-catch situation.

In Tuesday's practice, Williams was looking deep over the middle and had Odunze coming open against a zone but the two didn't connect. Then Williams ended the drive by finding Jahdae Walker near the sidelines for a touchdown with 4.9 seconds remaining on the clock.

"Obviously want to be better at the catch point this year, make a lot more contested catches," Odunze said. "Make some tough catches over the middle as well as route running. I feel like my route running is up there, but I have a few knicks and knacks that I can clear up and make even better. Yards after catch. run after catch is definitely something I'm looking to improve on as well.

"I'm watching Luther's (Burden) tape, looking at how he's making defenders miss, trying to do some of that as well as Swift. So all around, I feel like I can improve and just be one of the best in the league."

Making catches, whether they're contested or 50-50 balls is the way it gets done. Missing passes like last year against the Rams at the goal line on the opening drive of a playoff game is the way to have people doubt.

Ben Johnson's evolving offense can only do so much. In the end the players must do their part.

Sign Up For the Bears Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Chicago Bears Newsletter

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
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.

Home/News