The Chicago Bears are still trying to get a handle on Ben Johnson’s offensive system. Johnson, who helped lead the Detroit Lions to some of their most explosive offensive seasons in recent years, is now tasked with transforming the Bears into contenders. But early into training camp, he’s not satisfied with where the offense stands.
“It was sloppy, sloppier than we were hoping we would be at this point,” Johnson said, via the team’s website. “We had a couple really good practices over the last two and then took us a little while to get going and hear the pads clicking. I thought toward the end we picked it up and it got pretty competitive there.”
Much of the attention is focused on Johnson’s new quarterback, Caleb Williams, and how he develops within the system. Johnson has the potential to turn Williams into a major offensive weapon.
“With Johnson in the mix, who is known for his expertise and intelligence on offense, he has the chance to transform the Bears offense, starting with Williams. The talent is there for Williams — it’s just a matter of his development, which can thrive under Johnson,” SI’s Teddy King wrote.
Johnson has already noted signs of progress from his rookie quarterback.
“I probably just see growth,” Johnson said, via Yahoo Sports. “He is so much more comfortable right now. He’s doing the work behind the scenes that no one else is seeing, and we’re starting to see the dividends being paid from it.”
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Despite the optimism, not everyone believes the Johnson-Williams pairing will work. NFL draft analyst Thor Nystrom offered a blunt assessment.
“I think Ben Johnson & Caleb Williams will fail together. Ben Johnson is a director that writes out movie scripts & expects you to read the lines as written. Caleb can do without your script. This is a just a very bad stylistic fit,” Nystrom said.
It’s a harsh take for a brand-new head coach and rookie quarterback duo. If the pairing doesn’t succeed, the Bears could face a difficult decision about the future — one that might come down to choosing between Johnson or Williams. If things truly go south, even GM Ryan Poles could find himself on the hot seat. Should Poles survive, he may be forced to make a defining choice between his head coach and franchise quarterback.
