The Chicago Bears hired former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson this offseason. While in Detroit, he crafted one of the best offenses in the league. One of his calling cards was trick plays. Johnson had no shortage of them during his time with the Lions. He wasn’t afraid to throw to an offensive lineman or have his quarterback fake a stumble to fool the defense. Bears fans are expecting some trickery this year, and the first-year head coach teased what is in the works during an OTA practice.
Chicago Bears Ben Johnson On Trick Plays
During the final session of Thursday’s practice, Ben Johnson had the team do an unorthodox drill. He sent the offensive linemen down the field to participate in passing drills. The drill went about as well as you would expect, though tackle Darnell Wright reportedly had a play that turned some heads. The new head coach was likely seeing which of his offensive linemen had the best hands, and therefore, the best potential to be included in trick plays.
Trick plays with offensive linemen were one of Johnson’s favorites in Detroit. He even called a pass for All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell, though the play ended in a sack. Still, multiple touchdowns were thrown to players in the trenches during his tenure in Detroit. He will undoubtedly carry that over to the Windy City. When asked about the trick plays, he stated, “I think we’ve got some toys to work with.”
Plenty Of Offensive Weapons
The Chicago Bears have plenty of offensive weapons to work with. In this year’s draft, they grabbed Michigan tight end Colston Loveland, who many have compared to Sam LaPorta. They doubled down and got Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III, who will join DJ Moore in the wide receiver room. This was on top of remaking their offensive line after an abysmal year.
Ben Johnson wants this offense to be one of the best in the league. The Chicago Bears have historically been a defensively focused team, so it would not be surprising if the offensive guru crafts one of the best offenses in franchise history during his first year.
Final Thoughts
Whether the Chicago Bears are good or bad in 2025 is up for debate. What is for certain is that they will be fun to watch. Fans never know what Johnson will pull out of the hat, and the Bears should have many plays for the highlight reel in 2025.
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