Ben Johnson has a difficult task ahead of him as the new Chicago Bears head coach. The first hurdle is tweaking the roster enough to make him comfortable with the personnel available. GM Ryan Poles still has the final say on such decisions, but some wonder how much sway Johnson has. Many felt he wanted considerable power in that regard. Every move made over the past month suggests his word is going a long way inside Halas Hall. While that might make some fans nervous, it shouldn't.
That is if you trust the comments from Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta. He revealed to Kay Adams during a charity golf event that one aspect of Johnson's value that doesn't get mentioned is his eye for talent.
"Of course I'm happy for Ben, he was one of the big reasons that they brought me into the Lions, nothing but respect for him," LaPorta said. "On Sunday afternoons this fall, there will be friends turned enemies. It hurts, of course. You spend a lot of time with these people, invest a lot of energy, effort and hard work together. You're excited he's going to run his own team, it's very exciting times for him, but it's very exciting times for us too as well as we turn to our new coaching staff."
This suggests Detroit gave him a major voice in personnel decisions, and for good reason. Between 2022 and 2024, when Johnson was the offensive coordinator, the Lions spent three picks in the 1st or 2nd rounds on offensive plays. Those picks resulted in LaPorta, Jameson Williams, and Jahmyr Gibbs. Two of those players have already made a Pro Bowl, while the other just cracked 1,000 receiving yards last season.
Ben Johnson seems to have a keen eye for talent.
That bodes well for the upcoming draft as the Bears hope to put the finishing touches on their new offense. Running back and left tackle are possible areas they could address in the 1st round, with tight end being an outside possibility. In addition to this, Ben Johnson hired a defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen, who also seems to have a glittering reputation for pinpointing good players. Since becoming a coordinator/head coach in 2011, he's helped draft names like Von Miller, Khalil Mack, Sheldon Rankins, Marshon Lattimore, Trey Hendrickson, and Zack Baun. If Poles sticks to his word to give the coaches a significant say in the makeup of this roster, the Bears could be in store for an excellent draft next month. Whether Ben Johnson wants to kick it off on offense is the big question.
