The Bears are reportedly finalizing a deal with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to make him the group’s head coach. Chicago is touchdown probably the most coveted teaching candidate in the marketplace.
In three seasons of Johnson coordinating Detroit’s offense, the Lions ranked a minimum of fourth in whole offense and fifth in scoring offense every season.
Johnson’s hiring may have main ramifications within the NFC North, however what does it imply particularly for the Bears and Lions? Let’s dive in and discover out.
What Johnson’s hiring means for the Bears
The clock is ticking on quarterback Caleb Williams.
Whereas particulars of Johnson’s contract have not been publicized, if he earns shut to the reported $15M he sought for a head-coaching gig final offseason — which his agent denied — the Bears could be making a large funding in somebody with no head-coaching expertise.
On Monday, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote, “The over/underneath is $14.5 million per yr. Don’t be shocked if it’s over.”
Whereas the cash definitely helped, as The Athletic senior NFL editor Mike Sansone famous, NFL insider Dianna Russini mentioned Johnson’s choice boiled down to 1 reality: The Bears have Williams, and different groups do not.
“Ben Johnson picked the Bears due to the quarterback,” Sansone wrote. “It is that easy.”
Williams was the No. 1 total choose of final yr’s NFL Draft and had an inconsistent rookie season. Whereas posting the league’s lowest interception rate over his last 11 games (0.3%), the 2022 Heisman winner was sacked an NFL-high 68 occasions, persevering with his troubling behavior of holding on to the soccer for too lengthy. In three seasons at USC, Williams averaged 3.27 seconds time to throw. (h/t Pro Football Focus)
Johnson helped push Lions quarterback Jared Goff, the No. 1 total choose of the 2016 NFL Draft, to his finest skilled seasons, and he should have the identical affect on Williams.
If not, Williams might undergo probably the most. Primarily based on Johnson’s anticipated wage, it might be exhausting for the franchise to swallow his huge buyout if issues go sideways. It appears extra doubtless that Johnson would get a chance with one other quarterback if the union with Williams fails than being fired.
Whereas touchdown Johnson may really feel like a house run, there are issues. As Florio wrote, “Johnson will not be getting his personal [general manager]. He is additionally not getting any management over personnel.”
Johnson’s relationship with Bears common supervisor Ryan Poles is price monitoring. Chicago is 15-36 in Poles’ three seasons because the workforce’s prime front-office government. He is made quite a few strikes which have failed to enhance the workforce, including
signing linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards in free company, trading second–round picks for extensive receiver Chase Claypool and edge Montez Sweat in consecutive years and buying wideout Keenan Allen for a fourth-round choose final offseason.
That kind of front-office ineptitude would doubtless trigger some candidates to look elsewhere. It speaks to how coveted Williams is that he was sufficient to draw Johnson to the Bears. However until the partnership yields playoff appearances within the coming seasons, it’s going to doubtless be short-lived.
What Johnson’s hiring means for the Lions
Historical past is working towards Detroit after its one-and-done playoff run, however changing Johnson makes issues much more tenuous.
In January 2024, following the Lions’ NFC Championship Recreation loss to the 49ers, two-time First-Staff All-Professional Lions extensive receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown spoke on an episode of the “St. Brown Brothers” podcast about Johnson’s choice to say no head-coaching alternatives final offseason to return to Detroit:
“I am like, ‘So what’s up with you, you probably did an interview, like, are you leaving?'” St. Brown mentioned on the podcast. “He is like, ‘You understand what, I am on my method to the ability proper now.’ He mentioned he could not sleep final evening. He was occupied with it, and he mentioned, ‘There’s unfinished enterprise.’ He desires to remain.”
With the Lions’ early playoff exit, Johnson would nonetheless appear to have “unfinished enterprise,” as St. Brown mentioned, until he believed Detroit had gone so far as it might. It may need.
The Lions turned solely the seventh workforce since 2011 to lose within the divisional spherical because the 1-seed. The Broncos had been the one ones in that group to win a Tremendous Bowl with their core after shedding as their convention’s prime seed, however even they fired head coach John Fox for Gary Kubiak earlier than hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
With Detroit anticipated to exchange each coordinators — defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is a finalist for the Jets and Saints teaching openings — it could have squandered its finest probability of successful a Tremendous Bowl.
