Ben Johnson gets honest about Bears offensive line

The Chicago Bears drafted quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, which was a big step towards finally getting this offense to where it needs to be. This offseason, they hired Ben Johnson to be their head coach, which is the next step.

Johnson served as the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator for the past three seasons, and he was among the best in the NFL. Not only did he resurrect the career of quarterback Jared Goff, but he also turned him into an MVP-caliber player. That has led to the Lions turning their entire franchise around.

The Bears are hoping for Johnson to do the same thing with developing Williams in Chicago. But there's one major difference between Detroit and Chicago: The offensive line. The Lions have the likes of Frank Ragnow, Penei Sewell, and Taylor Decker. Meanwhile, the Bears have one (maybe two) starting caliber player on the line in Darnell Wright (and possibly Braxton Jones). That’s a major downgrade for Johnson, and he knows it.

"I think the offensive line is certainly an area that we need to get better play from going forward," Johnson said during his introductory press conference last Wednesday. “Something that Ryan and I have already talked about. We will develop a plan of attack for how to get that done, but I'm looking forward to getting an excellent offensive line coach into the building to help develop the young talent that we already have on the roster. We will certainly talk about acquiring talent to bolster that unit as well. I was certainly blessed the last few years with the men that I worked with, and that was something I would love to replicate here as well."

Johnson told reporters that he already had a conversation with Poles about this offensive line issue, which certainly means it's high on their priority list. There is an argument to be made that it should be the most important thing they focus on this offseason.

Everybody wants to develop Williams. You’re not doing that unless you fix the offensive line. The fact that Johnson is already on it, and he’s had the job for a week, is good news.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Ben Johnson gets honest about Bears offensive line