The Chicago Bears will have plenty of areas to address this offseason as they look to construct a roster that best fits their new schemes.
Led by offensive-minded head coach Ben Johnson, the Bears are expected to address multiple areas of their offense, most importantly offensive line. On defense, with veteran defensive coordinator Dennis Allen now taking the reins on defense, the pass rush is the biggest area of concern to address.
The Bears will certainly have to improve their offensive line, as they’re expected to be heavy players in both the 2025 NFL draft and free agency to build better protection around quarterback Caleb Williams. Last season, the offensive line allowed a league-high 68 sacks while the run game also struggled, finishing 25th in the league with starter D’Andre Swift failing to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday at the NFL Combine, general manager Ryan Poles sounded like a man with a plan to change the running back room. Whether it’s through free agency or the draft, Poles told reporters that they’ll be evaluating the running back position to fit the mold of their new head coach.
“We’re going to take a look at what’s available to us,” Poles said. “I really believe it lines up with the additions we’re going to have over these next two player acquisition periods of free agency and the draft, we’ll be in a position to have a strong run game, to stay balanced, which, in turn helps the quarterback out.”
As noted by ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, with Johnson in Detroit last season, the Lions had a running back duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery which helped pave the way for the sixth best rushing offense. With free agency scheduled before the 2025 NFL draft in April, the Bears will likely look on the open market to see if there’s a fit for Johnson, potentially pairing someone alongside D’Andre Swift to give the Bears offense a new-look rushing attack, which is desperately needed.
