The Chicago Bears landed Ben Johnson. Here are 3 questions the franchise must answer next

The Chicago Bears made a splash. The franchise hired Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as head coach, making it official Tuesday.

Johnson, 38, was probably the most sought-after head coaching candidate in the 2025 cycle. The Bears wasted no time. Johnson became available Monday following Detroit’s divisional round playoff loss to the Washington Commanders over the weekend. The Bears made Johnson their priority.

After interviewing 17 candidates over the course of two weeks, the Bears knew who they wanted. They didn’t need to do a week’s worth of second interviews. The Bears will formally introduce Johnson at a news conference Wednesday morning.

“Meeting with Ben and gaining an understanding of his process and vision, the more confident we became that Ben is the right leader for our team and that he and I will be great partners in building our team and shaping our franchise for long-term success,” general manager Ryan Poles said in a statement released by the team.

It’s always a leap of faith when a team hires a first-time head coach. Matt Nagy and Matt Eberflus were first-time head coaches.

But Johnson could be different. He was among the most popular head coach candidates for the past two hiring cycles. He was a finalist for the Washington Commanders job a year ago before he pulled his name out of the running.

Johnson had a ton of autonomy in Detroit. Unlike Nagy, who had an offensive genius in Andy Reid looking over his shoulder, Johnson had control of every aspect of the Lions' offense.

After turning down the Commanders, Johnson took the summer to think about what he wanted a franchise to look like, how he wanted it to operate, with him as head coach. As he said last week, he’s “a lot more prepared” to be a head coach than he ever has been.

Poles wasn’t going to let him get away. The Raiders and the Jaguars also were expected to make pushes for Johnson this week. The Bears never gave them the chance.

This is exactly where we wanted to be."

—  Ben Johnson, Bears head coach

“This is exactly where we wanted to be,” Johnson told team employees in a video posted to social media Tuesday. “This is going to be a challenge, I am well aware of that. I know what this division is about, and this is exactly where we want to be.”

Johnson will get to work soon. Here are three questions he and the franchise must answer moving forward.

1. How will Johnson change the offense for Caleb Williams?

Johnson will make his first public comments during Wednesday’s news conference, but it seems likely that the quarterback factored into his decision. Caleb Williams heads into his second season in 2025 after the Bears selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft.

Although the Raiders might have been a strong suitor, Las Vegas doesn’t have a clear plan at the quarterback position.

The quarterback position will be the No. 1 priority for Johnson. He needs to find a way to get the most out of Williams. Williams threw for 3,541 yards with 20 touchdowns and six interceptions, but he also took a league-leading 68 sacks.

The Bears are hoping a Johnson-Williams pairing could elevate the play of the young QB to new heights. But with this offense, Johnson will have his work cut out for him. The offensive line, in particular, needs an overhaul.

The Lions built maybe the best offensive line in football. That was a multiyear process. It’s an O-line that includes three former first-round picks (dating to the 2016 draft). If Johnson wants to restart, this Bears' O-line can be a blank canvass. The only player the team is committed to long term is 2023 first-round pick Darnell Wright, who played right tackle during his first two NFL seasons.

The hope, too, is that Johnson can elevate the play of the Bears' playmakers. The team struggled to find ways to get star receiver DJ Moore the ball downfield for much of the season. Tight end Cole Kmet basically disappeared. Johnson coached running back D’Andre Swift in 2022 and knows his strengths and weaknesses well.

2. What will this coaching staff look like?

Johnson clearly sold the Bears on his plan. That likely includes thoughts on who might join his staff.

National reports have linked former Saints head coach Dennis Allen as Johnson’s likely defensive coordinator. Allen has six years of NFL head coaching experience. He served as the head coach of the Raiders (2012-14) and the Saints (2022-24) and was Sean Payton’s defensive coordinator for seven years in New Orleans. With his experience, he could be a valuable sounding board for Johnson.

The Bears also have been linked to Darren Rizzi as a potential special teams coordinator. Rizzi served as Saints' interim head coach after the team fired Allen. Rizzi was the special teams coordinator for the Dolphins (2010-18) when Johnson worked in Miami.

Johnson will run the offense and call plays, but he will need an offensive coordinator. One possible candidate could be Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley, who has coached the Lions' O-line since 2020. Other options could be Lions passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand or running backs coach Scottie Montgomery (who also holds the title of assistant head coach in Detroit).

3. What changes under Johnson?

There are bound to be changes. Johnson will bring in new ideas.

One way that could manifest itself is in the analytics department. The Bears parted ways with director of football analytics Krithi Chandrakasan last week. Johnson comes from an analytical background. He earned degrees in math and computer science after walking on the football team at North Carolina.

Johnson approaches the game as both a former quarterback and from an analytical point of view. Johnson’s Lions went for it on fourth down as much as any team in the NFL. The Lions were highly aggressive. Don’t be surprised if the Bears adopt a similar mentality.

It’s fair to wonder how Johnson will influence the front office in other ways, too. In his statement released by the team, Poles referenced that he and Johnson will be “great partners.” They will begin working together immediately to find solutions for this team.

That will mean everything: fixing the O-line, optimizing the receivers, getting the most out of the defense.

This team is going to take on Johnson’s personality. The franchise will look to bring in players who fit Johnson’s vision. Players currently on the roster will have to prove themselves to the new coaching staff.

It’s a new era, and it’s one that will have Johnson’s fingerprints all over it.