Ben Johnson is doing things differently, and frankly, it’s refreshing to hear a Bears coach talk with this much clarity about what he’s trying to accomplish. After years of watching this team stumble through preseasons without much direction, Johnson’s approach to these exhibition games actually makes sense.
What Johnson Gets Right
Using Preseason the Right Way: Johnson isn’t treating these games like glorified scrimmages. He’s actually evaluating guys and figuring out what he has to work with. Novel concept for Bears coaches, right?
Competition Everywhere: Finally, a coach who understands that making guys fight for spots brings out the best in everyone. No more handing jobs to veterans just because they’ve been around forever.
Fixing the Offense: This might be the biggest thing. Johnson has made it clear that getting the offense right is job one, and he’s using every preseason snap to figure out what works.
The Preseason Philosophy That Actually Works
After watching the Chiefs game, Johnson broke down exactly what he was looking for – and it wasn’t just “staying healthy.” He’s using these games to put guys in real situations and see who steps up.
For Bears fans who’ve watched too many preseasons where nothing seemed to matter and nobody learned anything, this is a breath of fresh air. Johnson’s treating these games like they actually serve a purpose beyond just getting through them.
Competition Is King
Johnson keeps hammering home that nobody’s job is safe, and honestly, that’s exactly what this roster needs. For too long, Bears players knew they could coast through practice and still keep their spots.
Now guys are actually fighting for playing time, which should mean the best players see the field. Crazy idea, but it might just work.
The Offensive Focus We’ve Been Waiting For
Let’s be real – Bears fans have watched some truly painful offenses over the years. Johnson’s commitment to actually developing offensive schemes and working on execution feels like he gets what this team has been missing.
Using preseason to test different concepts and see what clicks with the personnel? That’s smart coaching. Making adjustments based on what he sees rather than just running the same tired plays? Even better.
Why This Feels Different
Maybe it’s just hope talking, but Johnson sounds like he knows what he’s doing. He’s not giving the usual coach-speak answers – he’s explaining his actual thought process and what he’s trying to build.
For Bears fans who’ve been burned before, it’s hard not to get a little excited about a coach who seems to have a real plan. Time will tell if it works, but at least we’re not going into another season wondering what the heck the coaching staff is thinking.
Finally feels like we might have found the right guy.
Image Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BenJohnson2025.jpg
