Bear Digest

Why Ben Johnson's vision of Bears offensive line can occur quickly

The idea for the new Bears coach is to have an offensive line in place and working together rapidly and here's why he thinks what has occurred elsewhere like this is possible in Chicago.

Gene Chamberlain

Darnell Wright blocks for Caleb Williams on a throw against Arizona. Wright is a key for the plans of new Bears coach Ben Johnson.
Darnell Wright blocks for Caleb Williams on a throw against Arizona. Wright is a key for the plans of new Bears coach Ben Johnson. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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Turning around the offensive line for the Bears is going to be a matter of getting the right personnel working together under line coach Dan Roushar.

Accomplishing this can be the key to Ben Johnson's offense working with Caleb Williams at quarterback, and the new Bears coach doesn't disguise this fact, but it might not result from as much drastic personnel change as some suggest.

Johnson has watched the film from last year and saw the need for some individual change. He made this clear at the scouting combine in his interview with assembled media, but also later he had individual talks with several media outlets and revealed even more about line plans.

"That doesn't necessarily mean we need five new starters because all it takes is one individual to blow up a play," Johnson told reporters at the combine. "We're just identifying where we can get a little bit better and we're going to continue to raise that floor and we'll find the right mix of five to eight, nine, 10 guys."

He pointed out how quickly teams like Carolina turned around their line.

When the Panthers finished the 2023 season, they were ranked 29th by Pro Football Focus. After the changes they made and a season playing together, they were ranked eighth.

It's all in the right mix and that's critical because Johnson thinks he has some of what's needed already in place in terms of talent and in coaching, with new line coach Dan Roushar.

"The big point of emphasis for us, as we all know, is going to be getting the offensive line playing at a higher level this year," Johnson told Marc

Silverman and Tom Waddle of ESPN AM-1000 at the combine. "Dan Roushar coming aboard, he's going to spearhead that movement.

"I think we can hit the ground running and we're not going to have a big learning curve of getting on the same page."

He has a very trusting relationship with Roushar through his old boss, Dan Campbell, after Roushar did so well working with the Saints line while Campbell was there.

It's not going to be a line based entirely on using all wide zone blocking or inside zone or gap scheme.

"Diversity in the running game, I do think is important," Johnson said. "I think if you just say 'hey, we're going to line up and run outside zone 30 snaps in a game,' I think defenses have caught up to that and so a variety is going to be critical. And we'll find out how far we can push that envelope."

This was the approach in Detroit, and while Johnson said the offense won't be the same as with the Lions, this multiple blocking scheme ability is one foundation piece where it needs to be.

The other key aspect of that line is using the talent he has available, and during an interview with Chicago Fox Sports' Cassie Carlson, Johnson revealed he believes he has this cornerstone for the line.

It isn't necessarily someone coming from the draft or free agency.

"I see Darnell Wright very much in the same mold as a Penei Sewell," Johnson told Carlson. "And we tried to do things the last three years in Detroit to highlight Sewell in space, highlight him on one-on-one blocks, highlight him against their best defensive lineman.


"I see the same thing for Darnell. That's where I look forward to getting to know him a little bit more this springtime and in training camp. But what I saw on tape last year showed a lot of promise of what he can be."

With a centerpiece in place, the right coach and a scheme already planned to be multiple in nature, the Bears seem, at the very least, to have the plan for offensive line success.

These key additions through the draft and free agency will make up the rest of it.

To be determined is how far they can actually go with it.

"It might take some time but our goal right now is to win and win right away," Johnson told Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. "This is not in our minds gonna take three years to get this going.

"We want to build around Caleb and we're going to find the right mix of players to come in and help supplement that."

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.