Nobody knows what to expect from the Chicago Bears' offense this season. The default setting has always been low, resulting from literal decades of watching mediocre-to-bad play from that side of the ball. However, something is different this year. Maybe not hope just yet, but definitely intrigue. Ben Johnson takes over as head coach. He brings with him a track record of glittering success in Detroit, capped by a season in 2024 where his offense scored 564 points. Bears fans can only dream of something like that. Maybe Johnson is the one accomplished enough to get this franchise out of the mud.
Still, the fear lingers on. It feels like something always goes wrong. Johnson is no stranger to such concerns. He admitted to the media that he has fears of his own about the offense. Nobody would blame him. Maybe it has to do with the progress of Caleb Williams, who has so much information to digest in this system. Or perhaps it's the offensive line, which still doesn't have a definitive left tackle. Nope. His problem is much worse.
He doesn't know how he will get the ball to all of the team's weapons.
"That’s what keeps me up at night, is making sure all of our horses are fed. … They’re super talented players and they can make big things happen."
Ben Johnson knows he has a wealth of options, but also personalities.
Everybody wants the ball. That is the nature of playing an offensive skill position. Having an array of guys like D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, Olamide Zaccheaus, Luther Burden, Cole Kmet, Colston Loveland, and D'Andre Swift presents a serious challenge. There is only one football. How does he spread it around enough to keep everybody happy? Ben Johnson has some experience with this. Five Lions offensive players had at least 60 touches last season. The year before, seven players had at least 40 touches. Johnson understands how to distribute the ball. It comes down to whether he does it in the right doses. Certain guys may want the ball more than others. Moore and Odunze, for example, are used to being primary targets. Meanwhile, Kmet and Loveland have shown they don't mind making team-oriented sacrifices. Johnson may lean into that when necessary.
