Chicitysports – Chicago Sports News Site
  • BEARS
    • Chicago Bears News
    • Chicago Bears Rumors
    • Caleb Williams news
  • BULLS
    • Michael Jordan News
    • Chicago Bulls News
    • Chicago Bulls Rumors
  • BLACKHAWKS
    • Connor Bedard News
    • Chicago Blackhawks News
    • Chicago Blackhawks Rumors
  • CUBS
    • Chicago Cubs Prospects
    • Chicago Cubs News
    • Chicago Cubs Rumors
  • WHITE SOX
    • Chicago White Sox Prospects
    • Chicago White Sox News
    • Chicago White Sox Rumors
  • SKY
  • MESSAGE BOARD
Navigation
  • About Us
  • About Us
  • Author Page Template
  • Chicago Sports News
  • Chicago Sports Podcasts
  • ChiCity+
  • Editorial policy
  • Editorial team
  • email test
  • Get In Touch
  • homepage
  • homepage
  • Join Our Group
  • Meet the team
  • Newsletter
  • Our Writers
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Push notifications
  • Social Media
  • test
  • Test page
  • Testing
  • Want to Write for ChiCitySports?
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Chicago Bears could catch crucial break in Vikings opener
  • Key Chicago Bears playmaker earns crucial bounce-back message before training camp
  • Chicago Cubs president: There are “limits” when it comes extending Kyle Tucker
  • Chicago Blackhawks GM drops massive update on Connor Bedard extension
  • Chicago Bears must consider bargain bin free agent before training camp
  • Chicago Bulls analyst floats two names found in trade rumors
  • Bettors heavily favoring Chicago Bears in Week 1 Vikings clash, but there’s a catch
  • Chicago Blackhawks insider begs fans to be patient in free agency
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Want to Write for ChiCitySports?
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Chicitysports – Chicago Sports News SiteChicitysports – Chicago Sports News Site
WANT FREE UPDATES?
  • BEARS
    • Chicago Bears News
    • Chicago Bears Rumors
    • Caleb Williams news
  • BULLS
    • Michael Jordan News
    • Chicago Bulls News
    • Chicago Bulls Rumors
  • BLACKHAWKS
    • Connor Bedard News
    • Chicago Blackhawks News
    • Chicago Blackhawks Rumors
  • CUBS
    • Chicago Cubs Prospects
    • Chicago Cubs News
    • Chicago Cubs Rumors
  • WHITE SOX
    • Chicago White Sox Prospects
    • Chicago White Sox News
    • Chicago White Sox Rumors
  • SKY
  • MESSAGE BOARD
Chicitysports – Chicago Sports News Site
Home»Bears»Ben Johnson identifies prospect prototype Chicago Bears are targeting in NFL Draft
Bears

Ben Johnson identifies prospect prototype Chicago Bears are targeting in NFL Draft

Dan FappianoBy Dan FappianoMarch 1, 20255 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Reddit Tumblr Email
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson speaking at the NFL scouting combine
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson speaking at the NFL scouting combine - Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

Before the Chicago Bears fully submit their pick, there will be plenty of speculation on who the team will select in the 2025 NFL Draft. While head coach Ben Johnson won’t name names, he revealed the exact type of player the Bears will be targeting.

As Johnson steps into his role, he’ll be looking to build a new culture in Chicago. The Bears haven’t made the playoffs since 2020, and haven’t made it past the Wild Card round since 2010. It may take some time, but Johnson wants to bring the Bears back to prevalence.

His first opportunity to do so will be in the 2025 NFL Draft. When Chicago scours their big board, waiting to turn their card in, Johnson said the Bears will be looking at players who are physical but can still play sound football, via team reporter Larry Mayer.

“The identity of our team going forward, it’s going to be a physical, a sound and a poised group,” Johnson told ChicagoBears.com.

“We want to see a level of physicality pop off the tape when we’re watching that. The sound fundamentals, that’s something whether they’re either currently showing that or they’re showing a willingness to learn that,” Johnson continued. “And then the poised part, that’s the fun part is finding out how well they perform when the lights are the brightest. So there will be certain situations we’re looking at.”

Chicago Bears put draft prospects to the test 

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson getting interviewed
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson getting interviewed at the NFL scouting combine – Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

As General Manager Ryan Poles was looking for his next head coach, he asked each candidate how to stop a bad trend. Johnson’s answer particularly resonated with Poles, helping him land the job. As the Bears evaluate prospects at the 2025 combine, they’ve given each a different kind of pop quiz.

Johnson and company have ‘challenged’ prospects during their one-on-one interviews to, ‘test their mettle.’ Chicago wants to get a good understanding of how they handle pressure. The Bears went on an embarrassing nine-game kid after their Washington Commanders disaster. Johnson wanted to know how each prospect handles adversity.

“We try to put a little bit of pressure on them at times in those meetings,” Johnson said, “just to see how they respond to it because at the end of the day that’s what’s going to win or lose games for us, those one-score games that every team’s a part of each year.”

At the same time, the Bears are trying to get a real feel out of each prospect they interview. There’s only so much you can learn at brief NFL combine session. But Johnson is at least acclimating himself to this year’s class. Once learning their personalities, the head coach wants to get a strong feel of each prospect’s football acumen.

“For us, it’s getting a feel for the football intelligence and it’s getting a feel for the personality, as much as we possibly can in 18 minutes,” Johnson said. “The only way you can do that in my opinion is to get the player to talk. We have a couple of icebreakers to get them going and then we dive into the film quickly after that.

“That’s really what they have the most familiarity with and they can speak on the most. It gives us a good idea what their foundation is, and I think it comes out as they talk, and you listen how coachable they’re going to be and what they’ve been exposed to.”

Johnson getting first taste of head coach responsibilities 

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson at the NFL scouting combine – Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

For all the buzz Ben Johnson has received since joining the Chicago Bears, this is still the first time he will be a head coach at the NFL level. There are sure to be growing pains and learning moments throughout the first few months. But Johnson now gets to see what an NFL combine looks like a head coach.

And that will be true for every NFL event to follow. Free agency, training camp, preseason, Johnson will truly get to understand how to go through each process in his new role. But he doesn’t plan on doing it alone.

Johnson meticulously built out his coaching staff, looking for experienced coaches who can bring a new vision. Longtime Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy was brought in as the new running backs coach. Former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen was hired as the defensive coordinator. Each hire made, so that Johnson has valuable voices to turn to as he goes through each process as a first-time head coach.

“That was part of the vision in bringing Dennis Allen into the building,” Johnson said. “He’s a guy that I’ve been able to lean heavily into it, not just from the combine perspective but also from scheduling to what the weight room’s going to look like this springtime and bounce ideas off of. He’s had a lot of exposure here in the combine, the formal interviews, what we want that to look like, and he’s been able to navigate that process.”

Ultimately, the combine will allow Ben Johnson and the Bears to build their foundation with youth. Heading into the NFL Draft, Johnson already knows the type of player he wants to bring to Chicago.

Chicago Bears: Trade target for key position in Ben Johnson’s offense just opened up

Chicago Bears: Trade target for key position in Ben Johnson’s offense just opened up

Read More

For More Great Chicago Sports Content

Get the latest Chicago sports news, analysis, and breaking stories on the Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox, Sky, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, so you never miss a story on your favorite Chicago teams.

Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE

Ben Johnson Chicago Bears nfl draft
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Tumblr Email
Author Image
BY Dan Fappiano

Dan Fappiano is a trending news writer for ChiCitySports.

Related Posts

Bears July 2, 2025

Chicago Bears could catch crucial break in Vikings opener

Bears July 2, 2025

Key Chicago Bears playmaker earns crucial bounce-back message before training camp

Bears July 2, 2025

Chicago Bears must consider bargain bin free agent before training camp

Bears July 2, 2025

Bettors heavily favoring Chicago Bears in Week 1 Vikings clash, but there’s a catch

Bears July 2, 2025

Chicago Bears rookie officially deemed fantasy football sleeper

Bears July 2, 2025

Why Chicago Bears must avoid Pittsburgh Steelers’ TJ Watt trade bait

Leave A Reply

Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
  • Home
  • Message Board
  • About Us
  • Editorial policy
  • Contact Us
  • Our Writers
  • Want to Write for ChiCitySports?
  • Privacy Policy
© 2025 ChiCitySports. Designed by Dope Guys Who Run ChiCitySports

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.