Building the Bears’ starting five based on Ben Johnson’s vision for using his skill players on offense like a basketball team

As the Chicago Bears roll on throughout training camp, finding out how the offense will be structured around so many skill players is going to be fun to watch.

"I think we got a great mix," head coach Ben Johnson said via NFL Network. "You talk about the skill guys, making it a basketball team. You don't want everyone to be able to do the same thing, everyone can do something a little bit different. . . That's the process we're in right now is finding out what they do best."

So, I wanted to have a little fun and explore what a starting five basketball lineup could look like based on the skill players Johnson will be drawing up this upcoming season and what each player brings to the table talent-wise.

Point Guard: Luther Burden III / Olamide Zaccheaus

Choosing the point guard position for this skill group was a little complicated. Normally, the PG spot is the most important spot in basketball with guys like Steph Curry scoring ridiculous points using deep three-pointers, but not every offense runs the scoring through a PG, much like how this one will be.

What the PG does in nearly every offense is control the pace of the game and play quick. In NFL skill-terms, that's gotta be the slot WR. In Chicago, multiple players will be rotating in that role but it's looking like Luther Burden III and Olamide Zaccheaus will be splitting the majority of the reps there.

Both players are explosive, quick, and decisive when the ball is in their hands. And Johnson mentioned back in April that in his offense, the ball tends to find its way to the slot more than other positions, so these two will likely be the ones keeping the offense on time and ahead of the sticks. 

 Shooting Guard: DJ Moore 

The shooting guard position is all about two things: Versatility and Athleticism. Think of guys like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson and Vince Carter. Players who had a unique blend of size, skill, and on-court intelligence.

For this team, DJ Moore is the easy choice. He's got some solid size to him at 6'0, 213 pounds but plays with a nice touch of explosiveness. As for the versatility, you can put Moore all over the formation and attack defenses at all three levels with his skillset.