Are the Chicago Bears finally on the right path? It sure feels that way. Ben Johnson remains unproven as a head coach, but there's a reason he has been touted as the best option in the marketplace for two straight years. Johnson built an offensive juggernaut in Detroit. He, on paper, occupies the ideal coaching archetype for second-year quarterback Caleb Williams.
After stalling under the misguided defense-first mindset of Matt Eberflus, the Bears finally have a top-shelf playmaker who can build his scheme around Williams' unique strengths. The reigning No. 1 overall pick endured his share of struggles as a rookie, but the raw talent has never been in doubt. He's a tier-one athlete at football's most important position, blessed with electric arm talent and dangerous mobility outside the pocket.
Johnson was largely responsible for the career restoration of Jared Goff. Now, he gets a chance to mold Williams into the NFL's next star signal-caller. In the meantime, Chicago has surrounded Williams with an explosive collection of pass-catchers. The O-line needs work, but there has been progress on that front.
A logical next step is pairing Williams with a dominant running back to balance the offense and generate consistent gains in early-down situations. Boise State's Ashton Jeanty, last season's Heisman runner-up, is widely viewed as a top talent in Thursday's NFL Draft. The only issue? He probably won't fall to the Bears at No. 9, which means Ryan Poles and the front office may need to consider an ambitious maneuver.
Bears should target Jets at No. 7 as logical Ashton Jeanty trade-up partner
Jeanty is one of the more fascinating test cases in the upcoming draft. In terms of pure talent, he is absolutely a top-five pick. There arguably wasn't a better individual player in college football last season. He led the charge for an unexpected CFB Playoff contender at Boise State, logging 2,739 yards from scrimmage and 30 touchdowns.
He is a tantalizing athlete, combining unmatched strength and quickness out of the backfield. Jeanty locates and exploits gaps with remarkable precision. He has preternatural vision, patiently tiptoeing behind his blockers before exploding through the first seam that opens up. The 21-year-old can also bulldoze through tackles and generate consistent yards after contact.
The Bears would love to get him lined up behind Caleb Williams for the next five years. Chicago would profile immediately as one of the most dangerous rushing teams in the NFL. We saw what Johnson made of the Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery backfield in Detroit.
That said, Jeanty has been mocked as high as No. 4 if the Patriots trade back. The Jacksonville Jaguars, meanwhile, appear to be doing extensive homework on Jeanty with the No. 5 pick. In a post-Saquon Barkley world, it's not hard to imagine a team talking themselves into Jeanty as a transformative workhorse in the top five.
That said, Jacksonville's offense feels more predicted on the pass game with Liam Coen in charge. For a team so weak at so many critical positions, burning a top-five pick on a running back is ill-advised. It feels like a smokescreen.
Chicago could tab Jacksonville as the team to call about a trade up, but why not target the New York Jets at No. 7 instead? We know the Carolina Panthers are eager to move back from No. 8, so several teams (presumably with an interest in Jeanty) will dial Carolina's front office. But the Jets could also move back, given their need for help on the O-line and at quarterback. Some of the best prospects at those positions will be available when Chicago's pick at No. 9 rolls around.
Trading with New York would allow the Bears to leapfrog the Carolina sweepstakes at No. 8 and, ideally, select Jeanty, assuming he slips past the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 6. There's a logical partnership here, especially since the Jets need to rebuild their supporting cast on the fly – even if that means quantity over quality in the draft.
In reality, the Bears will need to read the room on draft night and take live intel into account. If the Jags appear serious about Jeanty, then Chicago needs to call about No. 5 and potentially sacrifice more assets in a potential trade. Same for the Raiders at No. 6. Should Jeanty survive the Jags-Raiders gauntlet after the set-in-stone top four, however, the Jets become the prime (and logical target) for a Bears front office keen on running back support for Caleb Williams.