Ben Johnson is the head coach of the Chicago Bears. Can you believe it? Me neither! It feels cruel and unusual that Bears fans have to wait many months until they get to see their new leader walking the sideline, but if there's one silver lining, it's that Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles have all offseason to shape the roster to fit his vision.
For too long, the Bears have over-prioritized the offensive skill positions, while ignoring the area where football games are really won: the trenches. The Philadelphia Eagles just rode a dominant offensive and defensive line to a decisive Super Bowl victory, and in this copycat league, the Bears would be wise to follow the Birds.
Addressing the lines means that some difficult decisions will need to be made up and down the rest of the roster. The Bears have cap space, but in case you didn't know, top targets like Trey Smith are not going to be cheap.
As Poles searches for ways to contribute to the "Protect Caleb Williams at all costs" GoFundMe, one way to trim the fat, so to speak, is to let Keenan Allen walk. Sure, it was not even a year ago that Poles traded a fourth-round pick for Allen, and sure, the former Charger was one of the bright spots on an inconsistent offense, even if he didn't match his level of production with the Bolts.
Allen has said that he'd like to return to Chicago or go back to Los Angeles to join either the Chargers or Rams, but he's not the one calling the shots here. Unless he's willing to take a substantial pay cut from the $18 million base salary he earned last year, that money would be better spent elsewhere, especially with star-in-the-making Rome Odunze waiting in the wings.
If the Bears let Allen walk, they'll need to add someone else, because beyond Odunze and DJ Moore, there aren't any other wideouts on the roster that have proven themselves to be NFL contributors. Here are three fiscally responsible options that Poles should look into to ensure that Johnson has enough weapons to succeed.
Keenan Allen replacement No. 1: Marquise Brown
Marquise Brown was signed to be the missing piece in the Chiefs passing attack, but a preseason shoulder injury cost him nearly the entire season. He made it back in time to catch nine balls in two games, then only five more in three playoff games.
Brown's forgettable year should keep his contract demands to a reasonable level. Because he's still only 27 years old, the speedster could be a smart, low-risk gamble as a bounce-back candidate, though. Ben Johnson got the most out of Jameson Williams last year in Detroit, and though Brown is a few inches shorter, he's a similar deep threat.
Rome Odunze is more than ready to become the No. 2 receiver on this offense (some would even say No. 1, but don't tell DJ Moore that). Keeping Allen would hinder Odunze's growth, as would going after a similarly big name to replace him. Brown is at the high end of that next tier of guys, making him one of the best fits on the market.
Brown also has much more experience than many of the unproven options the Bears could end up with here. He received 100 targets a year or more in four straight years with the Ravens before going to Kansas City, so he should be able to handle whatever Caleb Williams is willing to throw his way.
Keenan Allen replacement No. 2: Josh Palmer
The Bears looked to the Chargers for receiver help last year, so maybe, in the words of John C. Reilly from Step Brothers, they'll decide that they've had the old bull, and now they want the young calf.
Josh Palmer is seven years Keenan Allen's junior and he just got usurped on the depth chart by Ladd McConkey. He also has plenty of experience working in the slot, a must for any potential Allen replacement.
Palmer has finished in the top 17 of the league in yards per reception each of the past two years, a fact that will probably surprise most fans. For anyone looking to attribute that solely to Justin Herbert and his rocket arm, I'd like to introduce you to No. 18 on the Bears.
Palmer has averaged 45.5 receptions and 571 yards per season in his four years in the league. With Moore and Odunze leading the way and Cole Kmet being excavated from wherever Shane Waldron and Thomas Brown entombed him last year, that should be more than enough.
Keenan Allen replacement No. 3: Tez Johnson
The free agent market isn't the only route the Bears can take to replace Allen. The draft is loaded with options, and given the high likelihood that Poles will draft some big boys in the first two rounds, the search for our slot receiver of the future begins in Round Three.
The Bears may need to fend off the Denver Broncos with a stick, but Bo Nix's adopted brother and fellow Oregon Duck Tez Johnson is an exciting prospect to watch if he's available at pick 72. Johnson caught 310 balls in college, good for 16th all-time, but he was no mere possession receiver, as he had a knack for racking up YAC and finding the end zone, too.
Johnson is only 5-foot-10, but he's fast, twitchy and an excellent route runner. Not to make an outlandish comparison, but he has a little bit of Amon-Ra St. Brown in him, and we know what Ben Johnson did with the Sun God in Detroit. He can also return kicks, an added bonus that the Bears could certainly find a use for.
Drafting Johnson would give the Bears one of the youngest receiving corps in the league and another young Pac-12 receiver (get off my porch with that Big Ten nonsense) for former USC Trojan Caleb Williams to throw to. The quick connection he formed with Odunze leads me to believe that that would be a good thing.