This offseason has been full of major moves. From Myles Garrett and Ja’Marr Chase getting record-setting contracts to Sam Darnold signing with the Seattle Seahawks, there’s been no shortage of headlines. But what’s been the biggest move so far?
According to one NFL analyst, it’s not a player move. He says the biggest offseason decision was the Chicago Bears hiring new head coach Ben Johnson.
Bears Hiring Ben Johnson Biggest Offseason Move?
Before joining the Bears, Johnson helped transform the Detroit Lions’ offense over four seasons. What started as steady progress turned into one of the top attacks in the league. According to PFSN’s Offense+ metric, the Lions finished as the best offense in the NFL.
If you’re hoping Caleb Williams becomes Chicago’s franchise quarterback, there’s more good news. Johnson helped Jared Goff finish as the league’s second-best QB, per PFSN’s QB+ metric.
Johnson could give the Bears’ offense a real boost — and help Williams rise from the No. 33 QB ranking he earned this past season. Keep in mind, Goff was considered damaged goods before Johnson started calling plays in Detroit.
That’s why NFL.com’s Jeffri Chadiha called Johnson’s hiring the No. 1 move of the offseason so far. The Bears went 5-12 in 2024 and lost 10 straight games at one point. By the end of the year, it was clear something had to change.
“The Bears needed to hit two home runs when the offseason started, and they nailed the first one with the hiring of Johnson, who had been the hottest name in the coaching cycle. Johnson created the most creative and prolific offense in the league during his time as the Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator.
“His job now is to produce similar results with a team that watched quarterback Caleb Williams, the top pick in the 2024 draft, underwhelm in his first season.
“It wasn’t that Williams didn’t show promise … It’s just that his warts became more glaring (specifically holding the ball too long) behind an offensive line that couldn’t protect him (the Bears surrendered a league-high 68 sacks).
“They learned how much of a mistake it was to pair a young, gifted quarterback with a defensive-minded head coach like Matt Eberflus. Hiring Johnson gives Williams a real chance to be as special as many people imagined he would be coming out of college.”
General manager Ryan Poles also said Johnson would help bring the best out of Williams. And he gave the duo something they badly needed — a rebuilt offensive line. The Bears allowed a league-high 68 sacks last season but have since traded for Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney, and also added one of the top free-agent centers, Drew Dalman.
Chicago also holds the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and is expected to use it on LSU tackle Will Campbell, according to PFSN’s latest mock draft by Marco Enriquez, rounding out a total overhaul up front.
- Source: NEWHD MEDIA
