Ben Johnson Rumored To Be Nudging Bears Toward Top RB

There is no question Ben Johnson was brought in to help develop Caleb Williams at quarterback for the Chicago Bears. The work he did with Jared Goff in Detroit was outstanding. There is no doubt in the minds of many that he can do the same for the former #1 overall pick. How he does it will be a topic of debate. If one were to go by his Lions tenure, it is a fair assumption that Johnson would want to have an effective ground attack to lean on, as he had done with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.

Right now, the Bears have the 28th-ranked rushing attack in the NFL. D'Andre Swift is a solid weapon at the position, but it became clear he doesn't have the toolbox to be a true featured back. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune has heard from some around the league who think Johnson will go hunting for help.

If you view Swift as sort of what Gibbs is — a player with open-field ability — what the Bears need is a new version of Montgomery. They need a tone-setter. Swift isn’t as gifted as Gibbs athletically, but they’re similar in some regards. There’s no question Gibbs has more tools than Montgomery, but Montgomery was the player in the Lions offense who did what? He set the tone.

“That’s not on the roster right now in Chicago,” an assistant general manager for another team said. “Roschon (Johnson) runs too high, and I like Roschon as a back.”

This would certainly be a good year to do it. Every expert agrees the 2025 draft class is loaded at running back. Based on a new rumor, Johnson already has a name in mind. That is Kaleb Johnson of Iowa.

Ben Johnson having interest in Kaleb is no surprise.

The 21-year-old was a breakout star in 2024, carrying the Hawkeyes offense with 1,537 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. His strong performances against Ohio State and Wisconsin were clear indicators that he has the ability to translate to the NFL. He's drawn some notable comparisons, ranging between Arizona Cardinals star James Conner and former Houston Texans Pro Bowler Arian Foster. Johnson is a well-built workhorse with vision, toughness, burst, and contact balance. His power dynamic would be a great complement to Swift's speedy style.

Chicago should have a reasonable chance to draft him. Current estimates have Johnson going on Day 2, most likely in the 2nd round. The Bears have two picks in that range. It would be a surprise if they don't take a running back around that point. Ben Johnson is at his best when he can utilize heavy doses of play action on offense, leading to constant chunk plays down the field. Kaleb will be the first Hawkeyes running back drafted in 15 years, following Shonn Greene in 2009.