Bear Digest

Visits by running back and slot receiver keep Bears thinking offense

Power running back Kaleb Johnson from Iowa and receiver Kyle Williams from Washington State kept the Bears' focus with their 30 visits on boosting Ben Johnson's offense.

Gene Chamberlain

Powerfully built Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson runs through the backfield drills at the combine in Indianapolis.
Powerfully built Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson runs through the backfield drills at the combine in Indianapolis. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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The Bears continue the offensive focus through their 30 visits with both Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson and Washington State wide receiver Kyle Williams, as time winds down toward the draft.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported Williams came to Halas Hall on Sunday for a 30 visit while colleague NFL Network Tom Pelissero reported Johnson is coming to Halas Hall this week, with the final day of visits on Wednesday.

The interest in Williams is a need position even though the Bears do have DJ Moore and Rome Odunze on the receiver corps. Their signings for slot receiver after deciding not to bring back Keenan Allen have been players who are not top end quality at the position. Olamide Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay both were added and Zaccheaus has never made more than 45 receptions. Duvernay, meanwhile, is more of a return man with only 15 catches total for the last two seasons and 37 as a high for his career.

Williams, a 5-foot-11, 190-pounder, had a productive career for Washington state and Nevada-Las Vegas. He made 70 catches for 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns with Washington State last year and 248 catches for 3,609 yards with 29 TDs for his full college career.

At the combine, Williams turned in a 4.4-second 40 with a 36 1/2-inch vertical leap. Pro Football Focus has him graded as the 63rd best prospect in this draft.

Mel Kiper Jr. has Johnson rated as his 63rd rated player and he is 55th on PFF's big board.

Johnson, who did not meet with the Bears at the combine, ran behind a scheme that was 80% zone blocking and was easily the focal point for opposing defenses. He saw this as a benefit more than a problem.

"It allowed me to be more physical and really understand like that it's pressure," Johnson told reporters at the combine. "When people stack the box like that and they're coming to hit you, you got to bring it back to them."

Johnson didn't become the chief threat until his final season, when he ran for 1,537 yards on 240 attempts for a 6.4-yard average, with 21 touchdowns. Before that, he had 151 and 117 carries in two seasons and in 2023 he averaged just 4.0 yards a carry.

Pro Football Focus doesn't see Johnson as a ball carrier for every down but more as a straight-ahead one-cut back who helps on first and second down.

"As an early-down player, he can be successfulĀ  any blocking scheme with good vision, light footwork and impressive burst and power," Trevor Sikkema wrote, in his assessment. "However, his lack of polish and reliability in third-down situations could keep him from being an every-down running back."

Johnson doesn't agree, but acknowledges he needs to get better as a pass blocker to reach his desired level.

"Picking up the pass blocking and picking up the linebacker is a big thing to me right now. Because if you don't protect the quarterback then, shoot, you're not going play," he said at the combine. "So that's the main thing, is just me just going there, smash mouth the linebacker, whoever is against me."

With the Bears, Johnson probably would be limited to a first- or second-down type of role because they have D'Andre Swift as a speed option and receiver out of the backfield. Also, Roschon Johnson in the past has shown an ability to Pass block and make plays in the passing game.

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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.