Bears Offseason Preview Part Two: Head Coaching Candidate Ben Johnson
Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson tops the list of available head coaches set to interview with the Bears, along with Mike Vrabel. Both will conduct Zoom interviews with Chicago as GM Ryan Poles seeks to narrow the field to a handful of finalists from a large contingent of qualified candidates. Johnson has been calling plays for the Lions for three seasons, and this year helped lead Detroit to the No. 1 seed in this year’s NFL Playoffs.
To say Johnson is a top candidate may be an understatement. He reportedly wants to coach the Bears, and there is mutual interest. Normally, that’s a slam dunk, but George McCaskey, Kevin Warren, and Ryan Poles run the NFL equivalent of the four-corner offense. Poles has scheduled interviews with over a dozen candidates, which seems frightfully odd considering Johnson should be offered a contract as soon as the league allows.
Consider, also, that as someone who has coached against Chicago twice a year, Johnson knows all of the team’s weaknesses. That includes an offensive line that somehow grades better than it looks. Or pass protects. Or run blocks. He’s also painfully aware that Caleb Williams struggles on passes of 20+ yards. Still, Jared Goff thrives in Johnson’s offense by completing passes in the short and medium ranges of the field. Detroit is 39-20-1 since Johnson started running the offense. The Lions were 0-8 when he took over in 2021. That coincides with the ascent of Goff, who has been spectacular since the organization paired him with Johnson.
The Bears do have some weapons of their own. D.J. Moore is one of the league’s better receivers. Rome Odunze just had a solid, if unspectacular, rookie season and should be named to the All-Rookie team. Cole Kmet was a forgotten man in Chicago’s offense this season after a career year in 2023. Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright combined for 100 targets on a Detroit team that has two alpha wide receivers and a monstrous ground game with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Kmet had 55 targets this year but only eight in Chicago’s final six games.
Several factors could prevent Johnson from agreeing to terms with the Bears, including the non-alignment of his expected contract with Poles’. Johnson also wants his prospective team to be willing to address its weaknesses. In other words, continuity and accountability are at the top of his list. McCaskey doesn’t see things the same way, however.
“I don’t think [alignment] is a factor,” McCaskey said. “Our structure is vertical. Coach reports to GM, GM reports to the president, and the president reports to the chairman. I haven’t ever experienced anyone saying [continuity is critical]. Usually, they just want the job.”
Adam Hoge of CHGO mentions a different approach by the Bears, however.
.@AdamHoge shares what he's hearing with the upcoming pitch to Ben Johnson: 👀 pic.twitter.com/GvwzRdEngf
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) January 8, 2025
Johnson will also command a high salary despite his lack of experience as a head coach. The Bears have historically paid head coaches near to or lower than the league average. Money may not be the deciding factor, however. It’s difficult to determine if Poles or Warren is calling the shots at Halas Hall. That could dissuade Johnson and several other top candidates, including Vrabel, Pete Carroll, and Joe Brady. The McCaskeys still believe there is a cache to coaching the Bears, but that hasn’t been the case for over 30 years. The lack of accountability at the top may be enough to steer Johnson away from accepting a position in Chicago.
Chicago’s interview team includes Poles, Warren, McCaskey, Ted Crews (Special Advisor to Warren), Jeff King (Senior Director of Player Personnel), Matt Feinstein (Director of Football Administration), Liz Geist (Chief Human Resources Officer), and Karen Murphy (Stadium Development & COO). That’s just not how other NFL organizations operate.
Assistant General Manager Ian Cunningham will be allowed to focus on possible general manager jobs with other franchises, but if nothing materializes, he’ll also be involved in the Bears’ interview process. Further, though McCaskey continues to vow to stay away from football operations, he is again the lead – at least by organizational rank – in the current coaching search.
For those new to Chicago’s antiquated front office policies, this is exactly why the team chooses coaches who aren’t generally considered favorites each coaching cycle. This type of interview process has previously led to the hires of Marc Trestman, John Fox, Matt Nagy, and Matt Eberflus. Those four and interim head coach Thomas Brown are a combined 76-120 (.388) since 2013. The Bears have also drafted three first-round franchise quarterbacks in that 12-year span: Mitchell Trubisky, Justin Fields, and Williams.
That said, Johnson is one of two available candidates who could instantly ignite Chicago’s offense. He’d inherit Williams without the customary rookie distractions, Moore, Odunze, Kmet, and bookend tackles Darnell Wright and Braxton Jones. The Bears have over $80 million in cap space and four top-100 draft picks. That could allow Poles to beef up the line and find a running back to replace D’Andre Swift.
Poles is said to be looking for a “leader of men,” a figurative idiom that carries little to no substance. A head coach is expected to lead, period. The Lions have been an unstoppable force since Johnson took over the offense. They are averaging 33.3 PPG this season, 29.5 PPG in NFC North tilts, and Detroit has scored 40+ points in six contests. Nothing leads men better than exciting, winning football while feasting on your biggest rivals. Johnson has practically gift-wrapped and presented himself as the Bears’ next head coach. His track record and résumé are difficult to pass up, plus he has an intimate knowledge of the NFC North.
The interview process will probably be enough to push Johnson back to Detroit or to another organization seeking a head coach. One can only hope that’s not the case. Johnson is interviewing with the Patriots on Thursday, while the Bears will sit down with Carroll. Sure, each is an initial interview, and scheduling is always tough with playoff-bound coaches. But, New England made Johnson a priority and Chicago did not. Johnson will meet with Chicago on Saturday after sitting down with the Raiders on Friday. If that doesn’t concern you, you aren’t a Bears fan.
