Bears’ Offensive Line Makeover: Can the New Additions Deliver in Ben Johnson’s Vision?

Ben Johnson has taken over as the head Coach for the Chicago Bears and inherited one of the most difficult offensive lineups in the league.  He was haunted by the mistake made with Caleb Williams, and sacked a record 68 times during the previous season, the third-worst total in league history.

The Bears responded aggressively, replacing their entire offensive line.  The goal of the change was to open up the space for Williams and focus on the run game.

Ben Johnson’s Offensive Blueprint & Why the OL Matters

Johnson had a clear offensive idea for the team: balance, timing, and multiplicity.  This approach leans on play-action sets, timing throws, and zone-based outside runs.  The strategy required the team to change the front five altogether.  According to the crypto betting sites, this lowered the odds for the Bears, as a shakeup that big usually hurts the team.

Johnson’s ideal offensive linemen must be smart, versatile, and rugged.  The team then aimed very high when it came to transfers and trades.  Experts such as CryptoManiaks have written about the betting market turning its attention to transfers rather than outcomes.

Who Are the New Additions?

The interior has been dramatically changed with a few new players joining the roster.  New players include:

Drew Dalman (Center, three-year, $42 million deal, $28 million guaranteed)

Dalman is probably the best center in the market.  This is evident in his statistics: he allowed just two sacks and 10 pressures in 9 games during the 2024 season, earning a PFF grade of 78.8.  Dalman is known for his athletic ability and snap-to-blocking consistency.  He’s also able to communicate on the line and help coordinate protections.  It’s also important that Dalman has a history of injuries that could keep him off the field.

Joe Thuney (Guard, acquired via trade + extension)

The Bears traded a 2026 fourth-round pick to Kansas City for Thuney.  He has had a pretty impressive resume, including multiple Pro Bowls, All-Pro honors, and a reputation as the best in the league at pass protection.  Chicago extended the contract to two years for $35 million.  However, some doubt that he’ll be able to produce such impressive results for long, since Thuney is in his 30s.

Jonah Jackson (Guard, trade from Rams)

Chicago sent a 2025 sixth-round pick to acquire Jackson.  The goal was for him to bring a mixture of run-blocking and pass-blocking competence.  Jackson and Johnson have a history together, as Johnson already coached him in Detroit, which will ease the process.  Jackson has also had injury issues, and that could be the biggest downside of this otherwise tactically smart transfer.

Coaching, Scheme Fit & the X-Factor

To further improve the offense, the Bears brought in Dan Roushar as an offensive line coach. Roushar is a veteran and one of the best in the league, and his job will be to turn these individually talented players into a cohesive team that plays to its strengths.

The goal should be for the linemen to be interchangeable and able to take on multiple blocking techniques.  The key to this is the communication between the players.  It’s also important to have in mind that there’s an “x factor” to it and that it could happen that two individually very talented players can’t really work together.

Indicators to Take Into Account

There are a few indicators to watch that will tell you how well the Johnsons’ vision is playing out.  These are publicly available, but not always easy to analyze.

•         Pressure rate/sack rate allowed – The goal should be for the new interior to halve the pressure rate and sack rate stats.
•         Run-blocking grades/yards before contact – The static shows that the line is opening holes, rather than just holding in place.
•         Third-down conversion & play-action efficiency – A simple metric showcasing how successful the scheme is.
•         Penalties, false starts, and communication breakdown – These early mistakes could point to a larger problem with the coach’s approach if caught in time.
•         Availability/snap counts – Injuries can mess up even the best of plans, so it’s important to keep track of them, especially with players at the end of their careers.

Potential Risks

There are also risks associated with the strategy Johnson has prepared.  These include:

•         The player’s age could be a problem, since most new players are nearing the end of their professional careers.
•         Cohesion and communication are the most difficult things to train, and the whole strategy relies on them.
•         The scheme is somewhat constraining.  If Johnson’s calls demand a blocking style, there could be mismatches between the players.

To Sum Up

The Bears have done all they can to improve their offensive line – they got a new coach, new players, and a better offensive strategy.  Now, it’s a matter of putting the idea into practice and seeing if it improves the poor record Ben Johnson has inherited.

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Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/bears-offensive-line-makeover-can-the-new-additions-deliver-in-ben-johnsons-vision