When New Chicago Beer coach Ben Johnson was entering with Detroit Lions in the 2024 season, he was more concerned about what beers could do than any other rival in NFC north.
He believed that Beers-he finished season 5–12-was “a sleeping giant”.
Johnson said, “Now there are many reasons why it did not happen, that is why I am here.” “I will reach his bottom and we will see if we cannot find that right and clean it. But I was very encouraged what was already on the roster. ,
When beer hired Johnson, he got a chance to work with quarterback Kaleb Williams, 2024 number 1 pick, who did not meet the expectations in his fraudulent season. This will be an important task for Johnson and his newly assembled employees.
But Johnson noted Williams properly during his introductory news conference that it would take more than Williams to get a bear on the track.
So what has Johnson inherited? Starting with the crime of bear in our current situation, we look at positivity, issues and questions that require less than two months before the answer free agency.
2024 aggressive ranking
- Gaz per game: 283.5, 32nd position
- Per game points: 18.2, tied to 29th
- Passing yard per game: 181.5, 31st
- Race of yards per game: 102, 25th
- Third-down percentage: 32.9%, 31st
- Fourth-Down percent: 60.5%, 13th
- Red zone percent: 62.2%, eighth
Strength state
wide receiver
Prior to the season, a trio of DJ Moore, Keenan Alan and Rome Odunz achieved its internal race at a distance of 1,000 yards.
It was discovered that the aggressive coordinator Shane Waldron – and some communication and chemistry issues between Williams and the receiver – none of them reached 1,000 yards amidst the slow start of Williams.
Moore was close, a total of 98 catches for 966 yards and six touchdowns. This was only the third time in seven sessions when he was not at a distance of 1,100 yards, but it was still the most reliable target of Williams. And as the Williams are growing, it should be expected that their connection will continue to bloom with Moore, which is under the contract through 2029.
Former interim coach Thomas Brown said about Moore, “He is a dynamic man in space, can break the tack, it is difficult to bring down, a unique skill is a unique skill when it comes to finding ways to be open, “Former interim coach Thomas Brown said about Moore. “Everyone has fields to always improve, as far as it comes out of the brake.
“We can also help even when we are able to do something from a rotational point of view, so he does not have so many snaps in a row, which eventually wears everyone down. I would say what he can control overall, a very good year. ,
General Manager Ryan Poles listed the selection of Odunj at number 9 in the 2024 draft as one of his achievements in the last three sessions. And while Odunz does not match the production of some miscreants receiver prepared before and after that, he promised 734 yards and 54 catches for three touchdowns.
“I think Rome is going to be one of the best receivers for Odunze to come here,” said Pols. “He is very talented, humble and I think his leadership is going to grow.”
Moore and Odunaz give beer a solid returning pair, but they have to add depth.
32 -year -old Alan, a 12 -year -old veteran, joined the bear in a business with a year left on his contract, so his return is in the air. He had a year of year based on his standards with 70 yards and 70 catches for 744 yards and seven touchdowns, but he brought lover root-rings and smart.
greatest weakness
Aggressive line
Johnson worked with a strong aggressive line in Detroit, so he was evident in evaluating the Bears unit in 2024.
“The aggressive line is definitely an area that we need to play better than going ahead, something that Ryan and I have already talked,” Johnson said. “I am eager to get an excellent aggressive line coach in the building, which we already have on the roster to help develop young talents, and we definitely get talent to bolt that unit Will also talk about doing.
“But I was definitely blessed with men with whom I worked with in the last few years, and it was something that I would like to repeat here too.”
Despite the objections of Williams in the season that the negative story about the aggressive line was “stupid”, it is clearly the unit that needs to work the most in offsen. Due to injuries and underpaurns, Beers rode a bicycle through lineman, and it played at least some role in Williams’ NFL-Leading 68 sacks, although the sticks were not ready to do all this on the lineman.
Beers have cemented a starter in their role for 2025: Wright Tackle Darnell Wright. In addition, they have a lot of decisions.
The interior of the line may be a priority. Beers cut the first right guard Nate Davis in the season. In the final year of his crook contract, Left Guard Taven Jenkins started 14 games and some others were inside and out of the lineup as they were suffering from injuries.
Jenkins said the next day of the end of the season that he was ready to hit the mentally free agency. He called it “toss-up” if he wants to live with a bear or to find out the open market, saying that he is best for his family.
When asked about his time with beer, Jenkins said, “I wish it would have been much better.”
He said, “a lot of things that I could do myself better,” he said. “A lot of things that I wanted to do at the beginning of the season, such as there is no doubt for contract goods. But I did not do enough for my share, where there are still questions. So I failed in that part. ,
The Left Tackle is another major question after the ankle surgery at the end of the start of the starter Brexon Jones season. The speed of recovery of Jones can play a role as to what beers do there, but they certainly want another good tackle option from 2024, which is beyond 2024 Ruki Kiran Amgadji, who showed them in some of their shows More development is required.
Center Coleman Shelton started all 17 games, but was on a year contract. Pols said that the Center/Guard Ryan Bates was feeling himself back after finishing the season on the injured reserve. Bates played in just three matches due to injuries. Matt Prior, who is an unrestricted free agent, may have the option to take over as a starting guard from Davis and return as a depth.
Poles indicated that he did not think that there were many opportunities to create an aggressive line before a broad receiver – but they hope that there are some this year.
“Just because it is philosophy, it does not mean that every year there are answers to those positions,” Poles said to unite the first line. “I definitely think we have all the property we need, and from a draft, free-agent (approach), I think some things are ready to take care of some deals for us. ”
Most pressure question
Will Kaleb Williams take a second year jump under Ben Johnson?
Johnson listed several factors, which attracted him to the city of Bears – Chicago, who was able to work with a family environment in Halas Hall, to be able to work with a family environment – but he insisted that Williams stressed that Williams stressed There was a “big component” of his decision.
He called Williams an “unprecedented talent” and promised to challenge them-and keeping a crime with Williams, because he tries to make strides from the up-end-down fraud season.
Throwing at a distance of 3,541 yards, Williams did well and bad, the fifth in the history of the franchise and the most by a bear miscreants. He had 20 touchdown passes, six interception and 87.8 passer ratings, while two head coaches, two play callers and three aggressive coordinators. His ability to protect football was very positive. And he worked with the media and showed it completely out of the field in late sports.
Poles praised Williams in the fourth quarter, which kept the bear closer in several examples.
“I felt that he had done some really good things, but I also know that there is a lot left in him and his skill and his skill set,” Poles said. “I love the glow that I have shown. I loved the two -minute drill and their ability to win the game several times this season. It is a championship-caliber characteristic. ,
But Dande also reduced zero on the part of Williams, when addressed the above 68 sacks.
“We’re getting in a position to take things and take out the ball on time, and it is part of a young quarterback,” said Poles. “You are trying to detect coverage and you are watching a lot of different things, but you are also trying to be right and as a result of that some sacks are the result. So a lot has to be learned in that situation. ,
Along with many bears coaches, Williams said that they need to continue learning, nail their footwork and develop their preparations to move forward. In the first two days of his tenure, Johnson also discussed with improvement in Williams regions.
Now Johnson and his staff – including aggressive coordinator Declan Doyle and quarterback coach JT Barrett – should dive into how to make that development.
Other unknown
Can bers revive the run game?
With the departure of Quarterback Justin Fields and his 657 rushing yards in 2023, changes in aggressive coordinators from Luke Gates to Shane Waldron-moved up to 25th in 25th from the offense of NFL’s second-place offense.
D’Andre Swift ran for 959 yards and six touchdowns in his fifth season, but he carried a average career-lo 3.8 yards per and had seven games with a yard less than 40. Backup Roson Johnson, who had a short-yard option, had only 55 carry for 150 yards, although he had six touchdowns.
Swift signed a three -year, $ 24.5 million deal in the previous spring, and Johnson would return to the year 3.
Did Ben Johnson-a top-10 rushing crimes with lions, help the group to be more productive? And will the bears see for additional help in the situation?
What should be made from low production of tight end coal chemles?
It was a frequent theme of interaction throughout the season, especially after connection with the field of the chemet in 2023. KMET had 47 catches for 474 yards and four touchdowns with Williams in 2024. It was below his last three sessions, even though he was 85.5%. The catch percentage was the best of his career.
None of the bears gave a clear response to the lack of KMET goals, but it looks like a clear field for Johnson.
Production the Bears number 2 out of the end end and the gerald average was even worse. He had eight catches at 13 goals for 36 yards. Averet is on a two -year contract.
Will the foul smell of the first quarter to 2025?
Another repeated, never answered the question focused on how Williams and Bears could start better games.
Beers scored a total of 27 first-witted points (1.6 per game) and went to the end of the season for five weeks without scoring in the first quarter before the touchdown against Green Bay Packers at the conclusion of the season. He got a total of 510 passing yards and 295 Rushing Yards in the first quarter.
Playing game to open the game, 110 punishment on all units in this season and the readiness of Williams, Swift and a whole fell under investigation into crime as the bear tried to address the issues – without success .
Perhaps Johnson and his employees will finally get answers.