Ben Johnson knew the most important hire for his staff was the defensive coordinator. He would need somebody who could handle that side of the ball with lots of autonomy while he took care of things on offense. The name that surfaced almost immediately was Dennis Allen, the former New Orleans Saints head coach. It was a minor surprise since the two had never worked together before. However, Allen had worked with Dan Campbell in New Orleans, which likely helped lead to a bridge of communication between the two.

Still, Allen being a big name couldn’t have been the only reason Johnson wanted him on his staff. Sure enough, details finally emerged courtesy of Albert Breer of The MMQB. Much of the allure stems from how Allen runs his defense. Johnson wants to deploy a unit that emulates much of what the Detroit Lions accomplished over the past three years under Aaron Glenn. As it turns out, Glenn got his primary education from Allen when they two were together in New Orleans.

Dennis Allen has a clear vision for the defenses he runs.

Two themes tend to develop when he’s in charge. He wanted strong and explosive defensive linemen and ballhawk defensive backs. This is the exact method Detroit employed with Glenn. Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeill were two dynamic linemen who could win with power or quickness. Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch, and Terrion Arnold all had reputations for taking the ball away. Throw in linebackers who are outstanding run defenders, and you’ve got a picture of Allen’s defensive formula.

The good news is that the Bears are already somewhat equipped in that department. Montez Sweat and Gervon Dexter fill the strong, explosive defensive linemen void. Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, and Tyrique Stevenson are solid ballhawks. Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards are solid run defenders. Dennis Allen has plenty to work with upon arrival. Still, it will be interesting to see how the team attacks the coming off-season to better fit his vision.

The Chicago Bears knew around Christmas that Ben Johnson was the guy they wanted for their next head coach. GM Ryan Poles had done exhaustive research into the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator going back several months. However, they understood that the interview process was important. They needed to know if he had the capacity to handle the title of head coach, not just an offensive play caller. So, according to Adam Jahns of The Athletic, they laid a small trap for Johnson during their meeting.

It involved putting him on the spot. They put together a specific situation that a head coach would have to face, including the score and how much time was left. Then, he was asked what he’d do. It briefly took Johnson by surprise since no other team had ever done something like it before.

That didn’t stop him from nailing it.

During Ben Johnson’s virtual interview with the Chicago Bears, the team’s committee presented a problem for him to solve. They put it on the screen.

Here’s the score. Here’s the time left in the game situation.

Then they put him on the spot.

What are you thinking? What are you telling the quarterback? What’s your play?

He was locked in.

“I actually really appreciated that — because that’s really where I’ve thrived as a play caller over the last few years — being put on the hot seat and trying to think in real time,” he said.

The game-like situation presented to Johnson made the Bears’ interview unique, he said. He wanted to share that story about it. He enjoyed the challenge as he met with the Bears’ brass on Jan. 11. In the end, it likely helped him convey more of what he wanted to get across about himself.

Ben Johnson knows exactly why the Bears did that.

He saw from both afar and up close what the organization went through last season. Matt Eberflus put on a clinic mismanaging high-stakes game situations. He called soft coverages and failed to call a timeout during the infamous Hail Mary against Washington. He failed to identify a glaring weakness in his field goal protection against Green Bay. Last but certainly not least, he failed to call a timeout with 30 seconds left after Caleb Williams took a sack, costing the Bears a chance to force overtime.

One can understand why the Bears were intent on testing their candidates’ ability to manage those situations. Eberflus probably cost them a chance at a winning season. While the approach may have been unique, Ben Johnson didn’t need long to understand why they were doing it. He aced the test regardless. Just 48 hours after the Lions were eliminated by Washington, the deal was done. Chicago had their 19th head coach in franchise history and one they’d been chasing for months.

Dan Roshar was the first name to surface for the Chicago Bears‘ all-important offensive line coach position. He’d worked with Dan Campbell in New Orleans, and that is how new head coach Ben Johnson became connected to him. Until now, other names haven’t surfaced, leading some to believe it’s a foregone conclusion that Roshar will get the job soon. However, that isn’t entirely true. While he remains the favorite, the team has spoken to other potential candidates.

Three, to be exact.

A source revealed to SM that Kyle Flood (Texas), Justin Frye (Ohio State), and Joe Rudolph (Notre Dame) are all names they’ve spoken to. This shouldn’t be a surprise. All three programs have been churning out quality offensive linemen for years. He developed Landon Dickerson at Alabama and now has Kelvin Banks and Cameron Williams lined up as likely 1st round picks this year. Frye worked with Paris Johnson and Dawand Jones with the Buckeyes. Rudolph has been churning out linemen for years. Ryan Ramczyk, David Edwards, Tyler Biadasz, and Joe Tippmann all worked with him at Wisconsin.

The Chicago Bears have a method to their madness.

While those three men are candidates for the job, there is another reason the Bears wanted to speak with them. Each has a sharp eye for offensive line talent. Picking their brains about what to look for and avoid can be invaluable to an organization that has struggled to consistently identify good blockers for years. Over the past three off-seasons, GM Ryan Poles has managed to secure only one truly viable starter for his front five. That is former 1st round pick Darnell Wright. Everybody else is either bad or replaceable.

After allowing 67 sacks this season, it is a foregone conclusion the Chicago Bears will invest heavily in fixing the offensive line. It starts with finding a good coach. If it’s Roshar, good. He is considered one of the top names in the industry. However, that is only half the battle. Next comes the harder part: finding good players. It won’t be shocking if the Bears put forward extensive money and multiple high draft choices to fill the void.

The Chicago Bears have a chance to seriously upgrade the roster this off-season thanks to resources GM Ryan Poles has carefully hoarded over the past three years. He has eight draft picks, including four in the first three rounds. That will also include what was thought to be around $64 million in cap space. However, it appears those numbers were undersold. Pat McAfee revealed on his show that the 2025 salary cap projected is out. Apparently, it is set to be around $275 million.

If that is true, the Bears would end up with $67 million in space rather than $64 million. They also have plenty of ways to create even more. By cutting Gerald Everett and Ryan Bates alone, they would gain an additional $9.4 million. Kevin Byard would generate another $6.97 million. Suffice it to say the Bears are in a great position to make a splash this March if they wish.

The Chicago Bears have tried to avoid reckless spending.

GM Ryan Poles has said he wishes to build through the draft, and that hasn’t changed. However, even he has to recognize that this upcoming season carries a ton of pressure after three straight losing records. The Chicago Bears must do everything in their power to fortify this roster with front-line talent. While it is unlikely Poles would go crazy with multiple blockbuster deals, there is a realistic possibility he takes one or two big swings. They would probably be in the trenches. Trey Smith, Drew Dalman, Josh Sweat, and Malcolm Koonce are all names worth watching. There will be plenty of competition. New England, Las Vegas, Washington, and Arizona each have more cap space and good reasons to spend. It should be a fun spring. What they accomplish will set the stage for what could be a consequential 2025 draft.

Ben Johnson knew he needed to assemble a strong coaching staff if he was going to get the Chicago Bears out of the mud. Few were more important than the defensive coordinator. Since he will be running the offense, Johnson would need somebody capable of basically running the defense by themselves without much oversight. That is why he went for Dennis Allen. As a two-time former head coach, he has plenty of experience running entire teams. Leaving him in charge of the defense shouldn’t be an issue.

Allen has enjoyed plenty of success as a coordinator. His unit ranked in the top 10 five times with the New Orleans Saints. Former Pro Bowl running back Deuce McAllister was there to watch all of it. He watched all the games and several practices. He knows what the Bears defense is in for once Allen arrives. McAllister gave 670 The Score a sneak peek during his conversation with them. Two things were promised. Allen is going to work them tirelessly in practice, making sure their conditioning is high.

He will also be much more aggressive, both in his attacks on the quarterback and in his coverage calls.

Dennis Allen is made for Chicago.

Defensive coordinators who have attacking styles have always seemed to do well here. It was true of Buddy Ryan and later Vic Fangio. Allen seems to come from the newer age of defensive coordinators. The days of sending four and dropping seven into zone coverage are over. He isn’t afraid to create exotic blitzes to make opponents uncomfortable while also calling lots of man coverage. Jaylon Johnson will likely get a major workout since Allen often shadows the opponent’s best receivers with his best cornerback.

Dennis Allen should be able to hit the ground running. His scheme isn’t all that different from what Matt Eberflus ran for the past three years. Players should adjust to it quickly. It will be interesting to see how he molds things to the personnel available. Lucky for him, the Bears have assembled a talent group. If they can find another pass rusher, this has a chance to be a top-10 unit. We know Allen is capable of getting there.