Ben Johnson sends eye-opening message to Chicago Bears roster after draft

The Chicago Bears hired Ben Johnson as their next head coach in an effort to completely change the culture of his franchise. As he prepares to step into his new role, Johnson is wiping Chicago’s slate clean.

The Bears haven’t been to the playoffs since 2020 and they haven’t won a playoff game since 2010. Even adding highly touted quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick didn’t stop Chicago from having a 5-12 season. While Johnson’s arrival doesn’t equal immediate success, it is at least a sign the Bears are ready to take their organization in a different direction.

But with that comes a different level of expectations. Johnson chose the Bears for a reason and he isn’t going to sit around and watch the team continue to crumble. As he creates his first roster in Chicago, Johnson is starting from scratch and building the Bears back up piece by piece, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.

“The moment the players got back into the building, call it three weeks ago now, it was going to be a competitive environment,” Johnson said. “There is no depth chart right now. If you want to play, you’ve got to go earn it. If you want a role, you’ve got to go earn it. They know that.”

“So we were very straightforward and honest with them when they came into the building. I think all we did this weekend was we might have just turned up the notch just a couple of dials for certain people in the building,” Johnson continued. “So that’s a good thing. That’s a healthy thing. That’s where you bring out the best, not only in your team, but in each individual.”

Chicago Bears enter 2025 with no depth chart, per Ben Johnson

There are certainly players who are definitely locked into their position; Williams, edge rusher Montez Sweat, cornerback Jaylon Johnson, the new offensive line additions. But Johnson’s point remains. There will be no more complacency in Chicago, the Bears will be built around the effort they put in daily.

For the younger players on the roster, that both a blessing and a supreme warning shot. Take a player like cornerback Tyrique Stevenson for example. Now with Johnson, he gets a fresh starter after the Washington Commanders Hail Mary disaster. But at the same time, the pressure is on to truly perform. If he doesn’t, it’s not like Johnson was the coach when Stevenson was drafted.

That’s just one example, but numerous players on both sides of the ball fit the bill. Amongst the many reasons Johnson’s hiring was so heralded was because of how bad the Bears were on offense in 2024. They ranked dead last in total offense, averaging just 284.6 yards per game.

But things weren’t much better on the defensive side of the ball, as Chicago ranked 27th in total defense, allowing 354.3 YPG. They were abysmal against the run, ranking 28th by allowing 136.3 YPG.

While the mountain may be tall, Johnson knew exactly what he was getting into when he signed his name on the dotted line. Now he’ll have to prove that his offensive magic can translate in Chicago and that all of the organizational changes will lead to Bears success.