ClutchPoints
The Chicago Bears landed the biggest fish in this head coaching cycle as former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson agreed to a deal to be the new head coach for the Bears. Johnson was one of the most highly-coveted head coaching candidates over the past two or three cycles, so this is a massive get for the Bears.
Now, Johnson has already gotten to work filling out his new staff for the 2025 season. On Friday, former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and Lions wide receiver coach Antwaan Randle El is close to a deal to take the same position in Chicago as well as become the Bears’ assistant head coach according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Now, the Bears’ interesting crop of receivers will get to learn from a longtime NFL veteran who has a very successful track record as both a player and a coach. Randle El played nine NFL seasons for the Steelers and the Washington Commanders and finished his career with 4,467 yards and 15 touchdowns.
As a coach, Randle El spent the 2019-20 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was a part of the team that won Super Bowl LV with Tom Brady at quarterback. He then joined the Lions staff and was a big part of the development of both Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.
The Bears seemed to be going back and forth between a first-time head coach like Ben Johnson and a retread head coach like Pete Carroll or Mike McCarthy. Chicago eventually landed on Johnson, and the offensive wizard is well worth the risk that comes with hiring a first-timer at that spot.
The No. 1 objective for the Bears heading into next season is getting more growth out of Caleb Williams. Williams showed flashes of brilliance as a rookie, but was far too inconsistent and saw too many ebbs and flows in his production.
Johnson will bring an adaptable scheme that will give Williams more easy buttons and clearer options in structure to work out of the pocket with. The Lions were one of the best in-structure passing teams in the league over the last few seasons, and Williams showed the ability and the willingness to sit in the pocket and work through progressions as a rookie, sometimes even to his detriment.
Williams should be much more comfortable under Johnson and this talented but unproven group of pass catchers should be able to produce. Assuming the Bears can improve the talent on the offensive line this offseason, that group should also take a big step forward with a coach who oversaw an elite offensive line in Detroit.
It’s no guarantee how Johnson will handle the other elements of being a head coach, but his offensive acumen makes him well worth the hire with where the Bears are as a franchise.
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