How many problems is Ben Johnson inheriting? 3 things on new Bears HC's in-tray

As the NFL season nears its end, Ben Johnson became one of the most coveted head coaching candidates. He is considered by many to be an offensive genius and his massive success as the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator proves that he may be just that.

Several teams reportedly expressed interest in hiring him for their head coach vacancies this year, but the Chicago Bears are the ones who landed him. They will hope he can get them back on track after a disappointing 2024 NFL season, but he clearly has some work to do.

Here are three of the biggest issues that he needs to address with his new team.

Biggest issues Ben Johnson should address for Bears

Ben Johnson

#1 - Rushing game

One of the biggest staples of Ben Johnson's offensive system with the Detroit Lions was their dominant rushing game. They ranked sixth in rushing yards per game last season, which opened things up for their play-action passing attack.

The Chicago Bears severely struggled to run the ball last year, ranking 25th in rushing yards per game, despite adding D'Andre Swift during the 2024 NFL offseason. Johnson has previously worked with Swift in 2022 on the Lions, so this may help him to drastically improve their overall rushing numbers.

#2 - Offensive Line

Many around the league consider the Lions' offensive line to be one of the best overall units in the entire NFL. The Bears, meanwhile, have one of the worst offensive lines, especially considering they led the NFL in sacks allowed last season.

Coaching can surely help them improve in this area, including changing their schemes and techniques, but Chicago will likely need to use the 2025 NFL offseason to find upgrades for its offensive line. Ben Johnson can only do so much with his new offense if the line is unable to block anyone.

#3 - Caleb Williams' development

The Bears invested a No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to land highly-rated rookie prospect Caleb Williams. The quarterback flashed his upside during the season, but regressed during the final stretch of the year.

In his past four games, he totaled just four touchdowns with five fumbles and an interception, completing less than 60 percent of his passes in two of those games. It can be discouraging to see a rookie go backwards late in their first season, but that may be part of the reason why the team brought in Ben Johnson as its new head coach.

He got the most out of Jared Goff in Detroit, so the Bears might be hoping he can do the same for Williams. Williams' development going forward may be the biggest priority of everything Johnson will be taking on in Chicago.