Greatest Chicago Bears strengths heading into 2025 regular season

6. Stuffing the run

There is no reason to think their run defense can't return to the same dominant level it enjoyed in 2023. It's forgotten by many how the Bears led the NFL in run defense and the only difference between that group and this one is Grady Jarrett is at three-technique tackle instead of Justin Jones, and Dayo Odeyingbo is one of the ends instead of DeMarcus Walker.

They are using defensive line techniques more designed to be stout than attacking gaps like they did in 2023, but this might be the only question about their ability to stop the run. The technique they are using should leave them less vulnerable to getting gashed for longer runs, although more blitzing might leave them vulnerable at times.

5. Catch and run

Yards after the catch were characterized the Lions offense Johnson had, and the greatest outgrowth of this is the screen game.

There is no question Johnson has better receiving targets for the execution of this than he had in Detroit in 2022 when he took over the Lions attack and they finished fourth in yards after the catch. DJ Moore is a natural at YAC, possibly even a contender to lead the league in this attack. Johnson has the same backfield receiver target as the Lions had in 2022 in D'Andre Swift. Players like Rome Odunze, Olamide Zaccheaus, Rome Odunze and Colston Loveland should be light years ahead of the receiver group Johnson had with only Amon-Ra St. Brown in 2022 as a consistent threat. The others he had then for YAC were Kalif Raymond, DJ Chark and Josh Reynolds. They lost tight end T.J. Hockenson that year after only seven games.

The only questionable part of this plan is Caleb Williams, but his biggest problem has been inaccuracy in deep passing and holding the ball too long. The inaccurate throws well downfield have nothing to do with catch and run, which more involves short passes and screens.

4. Defensive pressure

This isn't to say their four-man pass rush will line up across the front and rate among the best in terms of total sacks. What they should be able to do is confuse opponents because of Dennis Allen's schemes and blitzing, and also from pressure generated on the interior of the pocket.

They probably won't rely on blitzes as often as Minnesota and coordinator Brian Flores, but still will bring a linebacker, safety or slot cornerback Kyler Gordon. Especially in home games, their tactics and their overall pressure on the inside from defensive tackles Grady Jarrett and Gervon Dexter should be highly disruptive and aid their secondary.

The big worry is they'll get less aggressive late in games and stop blitzing, leaving an underwhelming four-man rush to try and apply heat while their secondary is trying to play more man-to-man coverage than they did in the past. Then they'd be out of their element.

3. Pass coverage

As long as they are not riddled with injuries, the secondary easily is the most proven group of performers and one that has played together the most. The communication between them should come easily because of their experience together, which makes coverage tighter in theory.

Poles cited the injuries that kept Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon sidelined, Johnson all of training camp.

"It's going to be really nice when we get all those guys healthy and competing at the same level," he said.

As long as Jaquan Brisker leaving practice Wednesday turns out to be nothing, the first five of those three, Tyrique Stevenson and Kevin Byard should be a real team strength and revert to their play from the second half of 2023 and early 2024 before they lost players.

The depth isn't as great as if they had Terell Smith as the third outside cornerback but the versatility exists with Gordon able to move outside so they'll be able compensate for short-term injuries.

2. Multidimensional offense

This is an outgrowth of Ben Johnson's imagination and past success, but also the talent assembled. It allows their new coach the chance to run the attack he designed. If the Bears lacked a threat like Colston Loveland at the move tight end spot, Johnson would need to adjust greatly. He has what he needed for 12-personnel packages with quality talent. He has wide receivers three deep as proven NFL threats and with a fourth, Luther Burden III, as a potentially explosive player.

There's much Johnson can do with these players, and with running back D'Andre Swift's ability to work as a ball carrier as well as in the passing game. The Bears haven't had this many weapons to use since Marc Trestman's 2013 offense that ranked eighth overall and second in scoring.

Again, like with yards after the catch, so much depends on Williams' ability to trigger it all. This is the one area Johnson doesn't have better talent at his disposal than with the 2022 Lions. More accurately, he has the arm talent but not the proven ability to execute as a passer like Johnson had with Jared Goff.

1. Game-planning

This is where Johnson is most in his element, and also includes adjusting his game plan in-game.

"I think Ryan's done a good job over the course of his tenure here of accumulating talent," Johnson said. "Now it's our job as coaches to find some results with it.”

The success in Detroit at scoring against all defenses regardless of their ranking or talent level says they'll come into games far ahead of how they approached games last year. It's a matter of executing that game plan.

This is where it should be most obvious why Johnson is getting the big bucks.