Ben Johnson showed in Detroit that he loves running the football. It is only natural to expect he planned to do the same with the Chicago Bears, even if his primary goal was to get the most out of Caleb Williams. A good run game can often be the best friend of a quarterback. Jared Goff proved that over the past three years. What isn’t entirely known is what type of system Johnson will put in place. He comes from an eclectic background that saw experience with several different types of schemes. What he used in Detroit may not be the plan for Chicago.
Thankfully, offensive line coach Dan Roushar provided details on this front. He explained to Tom Thayer on Bears Weekly that his NFL experience came from New Orleans, where former Saints coach Sean Payton utilized a wide-zone rushing scheme. Johnson aims to do the same in Chicago, which is a big reason why he sought out Roushar to take over that position group. If this is true, it means the Bears are returning to the scheme that worked so well for them in 2022 and 2023 under Luke Getsy before Shane Waldron switched to inside-zone last season.
This Ben Johnson decision explains the offensive line moves.
If you’re going to run an outside-zone attack, you need one thing above all else: athletic offensive linemen. They must be able to get out in space to block guys. That won’t be an issue for guys like Joe Thuney and Drew Dalman, who thrive in such circumstances. Jonah Jackson isn’t known for his athletic chops, but he already showed he could play under Ben Johnson for two years. Then, he was signed by the Los Angeles Rams in 2024, one of the top outside-zone teams in the NFL. Clearly, coaches have no concerns about if he can handle it. There is one lingering issue. A good wide-zone attack requires a running back with good vision and decisiveness. While D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson have value, neither is known for those traits. That is why it is more likely than ever that Chicago will draft a running back next month.
I still like Alabama’s Tyler Booker, an offensive guard (obviously), at 1.10. But the scouting says he’s rather lumbering, and if Coach/GM BJ is locked in on a specific scheme without knowing exactly what he has to work with, then the odds of Booker wearing a Bears jersey are about as long as the odds of me winning a mayoral race when I finally choose to run. So I’ll just quit thinking about it.
“[T]he Bears are returning to the [running] scheme that worked so well for them in 2022 and 2023.”
Can anybody else spot the logical fallacy here? Does anybody else know what made the running game in 2022 and 2023 more effective when compared to 2024?
Anybody??
And I thought the interior offensive linemen who thrive in outside zone do not always also thrive in pass protection when pressure comes up the middle gaps. Maybe a football person can tell me whether or not I’m wrong on that.
I’m glad tomorrow is next month and in 3 days it will be 3 weeks until the draft. Its hard to run the football when your backs are getting hit a yard deep in the backfield and have to fight like hell to get a 2-yard gain while the other team doesn’t get hit until he is into the defense 3 yards. I would like to know who was keeping stats last year ranking the Bears line in the top 20. I mean when your best lineman only gets 3 mil a year in the free agency market something doesn’t… Read more »
Don’t forget RB Ian Wheeler who had a great camp last year but hurt his knee. He also runs a 4.3. Would love to see him get an opportunity this year however he’s likely a practice squad guy. I’m starting to think that there’s no way Jeanty will be there at 10 and that includes if the Raiders pass on him at #6. I think that someone will jump to #9 to snag him away from us. It will be a draft to add to the collection of the guy we really want being selected right before us. IE: Aaron… Read more »
Silly, you are so quick to blame Poles, yet you are the one saying everything Poles does this year is becoming Johnson tells him to do it. So which is it? Just put up whatever you think will prove your point. Talk about a dumb Bears fan.