The Sun-Times’ Bears experts — Patrick Finley, Jason Lieser and Mark Potash — analyze the team’s hiring of head coach Ben Johnson and what’s next:
Grade the Bears’ hiring of Ben Johnson.
FINLEY: B+. As was the case when they drafted Caleb Williams, the Bears did the same thing anyone else would do in their situation. They opened up their pocketbook to do it, too, further killing off the dated reputation that they’re cheap. It’s hard to hand out an A to any hire who’s never been a head coach before, though.
LIESER: A. In a very un-Bears-like move, they targeted the consensus top candidate on the market and went all-out to get him. Their process was a little strange with so many interviews, but they landed on the guy everyone wanted them to hire.
POTASH: A. You can’t really grade a coaching hire for two or three years, but that the Bears got the most coveted coordinator available is a big step for them. Johnson is the preferred offensive-minded coach the Bears need and — most importantly — a coach who clearly believes in Caleb Williams.
Who would’ve been your next choice as head coach if they hadn’t landed Ben Johnson?
FINLEY: Former Titans coach Mike Vrabel had the right combination of experience and attitude to steer a franchise in need of direction. He’ll be successful with the Patriots, a team who put him in its hall of fame as a player.
LIESER: Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. As it turns out, that would’ve been very difficult and asked a lot of patience, because Kingsbury had declined all interviews to focus on the Commanders’ playoff run and wouldn’t have been available even for a preliminary videoconference until this week. But the Bears’ fastest path to success is to get Williams going, and Kingsbury would’ve been able to do that.
POTASH: Without the benefit of doing personal interviews that the Bears had — Mike McCarthy. Pete Carroll was the best of the former head coaches available, but the Bears need a coach who can mentor and nurture Williams, and McCarthy’s record of quarterback development — which is the Bears’ most imperative need — is impressive.
The Bears went 5-12 this season. What’s a reasonable goal for Johnson in 2025?
FINLEY: 9-8. The Bears’ road schedule features the Ravens, Eagles, Commanders, 49ers, Bengals, Raiders and three NFC North teams. No reasonable person would find more than three wins there.
LIESER: 11-6. There’s no doubt instant improvement is expected. This is still a win-now roster, and it should’ve been good enough to go at least 10-7 this season if the Bears had done better on the offensive line and had competent coaches. Seemingly anyone but Matt Eberflus could walk in here and go 10-7 next season, and if Johnson is as good as advertised, the bar should be a bit higher.
POTASH: 9-8 or 8-9. The NFC North still figures to be difficult next season and the Bears will be in transition on offense and defense. A lot depends on how quickly general manager Ryan Poles and Johnson can rebuild the offensive line. The biggest difference between the offensive talent Johnson inherited with the Lions in 2022 (three first-round draft picks in Penei Sewell, Taylor Decker and Frank Ragnow) and with the Bears heading into the 2025 offseason.
What do you want to see in Ben Johnson’s staff?
FINLEY: Experience. Johnson has never been a head coach before and has only eight years’ experience as an NFL position coach or higher.
LIESER: Cohesion. The last time the Bears hired one of the “offensive guru” candidates was when they brought Matt Nagy to Halas Hall in 2018. There was constant tinkering with the offensive staff and often a disconnect between what Nagy wanted and what was actually being taught by the position coaches.
POTASH: A defensive coordinator and an offensive line coach with a track record of success. Those are clearly the two most important hires he’ll make.
What should be at the top of Ryan Poles’ list to fix this offseason?
FINLEY: The interior offensive line. Call it the Drew Brees Rule: short quarterbacks need outstanding guards and a center to succeed in the pocket. The Bears will replace all three starters.
LIESER: The pass rush. The Bears had the fewest sacks in the NFL over the last three seasons and they’re never going to win like that. On any team, the pass rush is the most important part other than quarterback.
POTASH: The offensive line. Besides hiring and retaining Eberflus, Poles’ misjudgment of the O-line was his most fireable offense. Right tackle Darnell Wright is the only unquestioned keeper. But with Teven Jenkins unable to stay healthy, every other spot is open for an upgrade. Left tackle Braxton Jones might be worthy of one more shot.
Rate QB Caleb Williams’ rookie season:
FINLEY: A waste. Williams is about to play for his third different head coach, third different play-caller and fourth different offensive coordinator. If he turns into the best quarterback the Bears have ever had, it will be in spite of his rookie season, not because of it.
LIESER: Fine. And that’s disappointing and encouraging at the same time. Everyone, including the Bears and Williams himself, thought he’d be an instant star like Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has been. Nonetheless, Williams showed high potential amid a disastrous season without good coaching or an offensive line.
POTASH: Promising. Besides the elite-quarterback throws he made, Williams showed a clutch gene in late-game drives against the Commanders, Vikings, Packers and even the Lions at Ford Field. But as the fateful end of that game showed, he still needs a coach who can put him in the best position to succeed and/or teach him to put himself in the best position to succeed. That’s why Johnson is here.
Who was the Bears’ MVP?
FINLEY: The person who edited the curse words out of “Hard Knocks.”
LIESER: Rome Odunze would’ve been if the Bears had given him a better opportunity. As a rookie playing in a sputtering offense, Odunze still managed 54 catches for 734 yards and three touchdowns while getting fewer targets than DJ Moore or Keenan Allen. Johnson must make Odunze the focal point of the passing attack next season.
POTASH: They really didn’t have one. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson made the Pro Bowl. Slot cornerback Kyler Gordon could have made the Pro Bowl. Without defensive tackle Andrew Billings in the final eight games, the Bears’ defense dropped from fifth to 13th in scoring, from 12th to 27th in yards and 20th to 28th in rushing yards. Maybe Wright, who ranked fifth in the NFL among right tackles by Pro Football Focus.
Who was the Bears’ biggest disappointment?
FINLEY: Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson was too busy yapping at fans to see the Commanders snap a Hail Mary, then covered the wrong person and sent the Bears into a 10-game tailspin.
LIESER: Running back D’Andre Swift. For a few million more, the Bears could’ve had Saquon Barkley. Instead, they went for Swift on a more modest contract, and he had one of his worst seasons. What once looked like a strong room of running backs now needs an upgrade in the offseason.
POTASH: Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. His experience as a play-caller and success with Geno Smith with the Seahawks was one reason why this was considered the best situation ever for a rookie quarterback drafted No. 1 overall. But it turned into a bad fit, and Waldron was fired after nine games.