Bears hire Ben Johnson as HC to 13M/yr ; former/Saints HC Dennis Allen is Bears DC, former/Saints asst Declan Doyle is Bears OC (4 Viewers)

[St. Widge]

Looks like a good staff for Johnson.

Which is funny because 2/3 of their coordinators would be the same as ours for the past 3 years. Whether it works there better than here will depend on if Ben Johnson is a better leader than DA was.

 

[St. Widge]

Next year would if we don't find a guy before then.

I'm 100% on board, build the foundation and supporting cast in 2025, if we don't find a QB, go get one in the 2026 draft.

Haven't really looked forward to the QBs next year but that does seem likely. Guys like Nussmier, Beck, and Allar could take a leap forward. Haven't really thought about it past there.

But, yeah, I think this is the year to build a team for the future QB, if it isn't Rattler.

 

[St. Geezy]

Looks like a good staff for Johnson.

Think he’s trying to recreate the Saints program culture the way Campbell did to a degree.

 

[nakadish]

Think he’s trying to recreate the Saints program culture the way Campbell did to a degree.

Wait. I thought the Saints culture was terrible, and we need to completely clean house to get rid of it? How is this possible?

 

[Rouxble]

The cracks were starting to show in DA's defense. He was elite in the era of pocket passing QB's. In this new era of more mobile and scrambling QB's he'll struggle. We've seen it whenever we faced a nobody QB who would run when his first read wasn't open.

The good thing for him is McCarthy/Donald, Love, and Goff are not thought of being very mobile or great scramblers so maybe it's the right division to land in.

Even if we take it at face value that DA’s defense can’t stop mobile QB’s with the right players, winning the NFC North is what comes first. The Lions, Vikings, and Packers all have pocket passers, so a DC that excels at shutting them down would be the right choice.

 

[BreesusSaves]

Wait. I thought the Saints culture was terrible, and we need to completely clean house to get rid of it? How is this possible?

Well keep in mind the first thing Rizzi did when he took over was do all he could to dismantle the culture DA had established, so that would be a VERY interesting dynamic in Chicago with DA being in the same building as the guy who replaced him and basically called everything he did as HC crap.

 

[SonOfNOLA]

 

[Saint Jack]

If this goes wrong, this has the potential to be an all time blunder.

 

[WhoDat6278]

If this goes wrong, this has the potential to be an all time blunder.

Not really, it’s $5 million more per year than average. That’s absolutely nothing to the owners of an NFL franchise. If it goes wrong then it wouldn’t be any different to any other first time HC not working out.

 

[DeuceMcAllisterFan]

He played this hiring process so well. He's already a top 8 highest paid coach before coaching a single game as a head coach in the NFL.

 

[SystemShock]

I’m sure that this is a contrarian view, but I don’t think Ben Johnson will be a good head coach. The Lions have always been my second team, and I’ve watched all their games over the last few years. They live and die with Dan Campbell…he’s the main driver and motivator in that organization. Ben Johnson reminds me a lot of DA…you don’t see him leading and motivating on the sidelines. He seems quite detached from the players. He may be a great offensive innovator, but without a Dan Campbell around, I’m doubting his abilities to lead a team. Pair him with DA and it seems like you’ve got two betas at the top of the organization.

 

[St. Widge]

Not really, it’s $5 million more per year than average. That’s absolutely nothing to the owners of an NFL franchise. If it goes wrong then it wouldn’t be any different to any other first time HC not working out.

Oh come on. If an owner pays a HC $5 million per year more than other HCs because he thinks he's worth it and it doesn't work out then it is a big blunder no matter how much the owner has. These people didn't become billionaires by paying $5 million per year over the going rate for someone that fails. That's especially true for the Bears owners who are traditionally cheap.

 

[St. Geezy]

I’m sure that this is a contrarian view, but I don’t think Ben Johnson will be a good head coach. The Lions have always been my second team, and I’ve watched all their games over the last few years. They live and die with Dan Campbell…he’s the main driver and motivator in that organization. Ben Johnson reminds me a lot of DA…you don’t see him leading and motivating on the sidelines. He seems quite detached from the players. He may be a great offensive innovator, but without a Dan Campbell around, I’m doubting his abilities to lead a team. Pair him with DA and it seems like you’ve got two betas at the top of the organization.

Saw similar things but didn’t want to assume since I haven’t watched a ton of their games, but yeah, seems more like a Carmichael type only with a more fun playbook and more competent coordinating skills.

We’ll see though.

 

[WhoDat6278]

Oh come on. If an owner pays a HC $5 million per year more than other HCs because he thinks he's worth it and it doesn't work out then it is a big blunder no matter how much the owner has. These people didn't become billionaires by paying $5 million per year over the going rate for someone that fails. That's especially true for the Bears owners who are traditionally cheap.

It would be no more a blunder than say Aaron Glenn going to the Jets and not working out.

The extra money has no bearing on how much of a blunder it would be. The Bears are valued at over $6 billion and are one of the most profitable franchises in the league, it’s pocket money. The outcome from paying Ben Johnson $8m vs $13m is ultimately going to be the same.

 

[Darth Deuce]

Well, we play at Chicago next season, so DA gets a "revenge" shot at his previous team.