The Chicago Bears didn't try to hide their intentions this offseason. It was evident from the outset what they aimed to do: fix the offense. Everything started with hiring Ben Johnson, one of the best coordinators in the NFL—a true rising star. Next, they poured resources into the offensive line, overhauling all three interior positions in free agency before adding a giant tackle in the second round. However, the true excitement revolved around their new additions to Caleb Williams' arsenal of weapons.
It started in the first round, when they selected big, athletic Michigan tight end Colston Loveland. That marked only the third time Chicago has done such a thing. The other two were Mike Ditka and Greg Olsen. That's a pretty good sign. Next came Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden. His mix of speed and underrated route-running skill showed a weapon with loads of potential. However, former scout Bucky Brooks believes people are missing what makes this new tandem so frightening to other teams.
Chicago has beefed up its pass catchers and pass protectors to ensure it can go toe-to-toe with any offensive heavyweight in the league. The team drafted a pair of mismatch creators in TE Colston Loveland and WR Luther Burden III, who will keep opposing defensive coordinators up all night crafting game plans to neutralize the catch-and-run concepts that will be featured prominently on Johnson’s call sheet.
The Chicago Bears aim to get more out of every single play.
Yards after the catch is easily the most underrated stat in the NFL. Teams that thrive on it tend to win a lot of games. Six teams that ranked in the top 10 for most YAC last season made the playoffs, and two others had winning records. The Chicago Bears were middle of the road. Loveland and Burden can change that. Burden averaged 7.26 yards after the catch last season. He is incredibly dangerous with the ball in his hands. Loveland never thrived in that scenario, but he has the speed to make defenses pay for leaving him in space. Ben Johnson is among the best at getting guys open. That is before even mentioning D.J. Moore, who also happens to be one of the best YAC receivers in the league. This offense is far more dangerous than people realize, and now it's in the hands of somebody who can exploit their strengths.
