We're almost five full months into 2025, and so far, it's been a pretty great year for the Chicago Bears. I say this knowing, of course, that great years for NFL teams are measured in the fall and winter, and not in the spring and summer, but with that being said, it's not often that you see a team stumble their way through the offseason and then magically produce good results on the field. In that sense, the Bears have at least laid the foundation for success when it matters.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles has been checking all the boxes since the Bears rang in the new year by beating the Packers at Lambeau Field. At the top of his to-do list was giving Caleb Williams the tools to succeed in his sophomore season. With the most coveted offensive-minded head coach on the market in Ben Johnson, a completely revamped offensive line and a host of new playmakers, it's safe to say that he's made huge strides in that area.
All of Poles' moves were accomplished with a phone call, and although personally I find that stuff riveting, I recognize that most Bears fans have been anxious to see the boys in navy and orange take the field before they fully buy into this year's team. The Bears are nearly done with their second round of voluntary OTAs, and already there's been a lot to like.
Ben Johnson is running a much tighter ship than Matt Eberflus ever did
Even though his 14-32 tenure was, by any definition, an unsuccessful one, I don't want to slander former Bears head coach Matt Eberflus more than he already has been by his former players. Suffice it to say, the difference between his leadership methods and Ben Johnson's is stark.
Eberflus touted the HITS principle during his time in Chicago, an acronym which stood for Hustle, Intensity, Takeaways and Smart play. It always came off as more of a rah-rah gimmick that a middle school coach would use than one that the best athletes in the world would ever subscribe to, and sure enough, Eberflus' message fell on deaf ears. Look no further than Tyrique Stevenson's behavior at the end of last season's loss to the Commanders for proof.
Ben Johnson doesn't have any gimmicks. He's already made it clear that he will hold players to a high standard, both with his words in front of the media and in the way he's conducted OTAs. He frequently blew his whistle and stopped the play when someone wasn't doing their job correctly, and that was true whether the player in question was one of the new rookies or a seasoned vet like Cole Kmet.
Johnson spoke about how he expects max effort from every player on every play. That's the way to set expectations and create a winning culture, and the players have already taken that message to heart. He said that he doesn't want the Bears to be a "palms-up team," meaning no more of the bad body language that was ubiquitous in years past.
Newly signed quarterback Case Keenum said it best about Johnson on Wednesday. "He's demanding. I love it. He will not let you show up with anything but your best every day."
Caleb Williams faced the music
The national media has been having a field day after excerpts about Caleb Williams from ESPN reporter Seth Wickersham's upcoming book leaked earlier this month. Wickersham's reporting painted Caleb as someone who did everything within his power to avoid being drafted by the Bears, even suggesting that he and his dad sought ways to find a way to get to the Vikings or to get around the draft entirely.
Wickersham's reporting wasn't unfair, but it's been twisted by the usual bad actors in a way to get Bears fans to turn against Caleb. It hasn't worked, but Bears fans still wanted to hear it from the horse's mouth. That's why it was good that Caleb addressed the topic when he finally met with reporters on Wednesday.
The face of the Bears made it clear that yes, he had a good visit with the Vikings, and he acknowledged that he had thoughts and concerns about the Bears given their checkered past history at the quarterback position. But at the end of the day, after meeting with the coaching staff and front office, he wanted to be in Chicago, and he wanted to embrace the challenge of being the guy to help turn things around.
All in all, Caleb handled things well, so hopefully now the media can put this whole non-story behind them. It was interesting from a behind-the-scenes perspective and a peek into the mind of a top prospect, but it has no bearing on what Caleb or the Bears will be going forward. He's all-in on this team and all-in on Ben Johnson, and that's all that matters.
Ozzy Trapilo is going to make a run at the starting left tackle job
If there's one position to really keep an eye on this summer, it's left tackle, where incumbent starter Braxton Jones isn't expected to be 100 percent for at least a couple of months as he recovers from the fractured ankle that he suffered at the end of the season.
That means that for the time being, second-year tackle Kiran Amegadjie and rookie Ozzy Trapilo have a chance to show what they can do. Amegadjie made a rough first impression when he was pressed into service last year in place of Jones. It was never fair to expect him to do well as a third-round rookie whose development had been slowed by an injury recovery of his own.
Amegadjie started OTAs by taking first-team reps, but Trapilo has now also gotten a look, and Bears fans have to be thrilled at how he did.
Trapilo is a 6-foot-7 monster with nimble feet, and considering he was able to come in right away and play well, there's no telling how high his ceiling can be. If he keeps this up, he could Wally Pipp Braxton Jones right out of his job, meaning Darnell Wright would be the only starter on the line that also held the job last year.
We may be getting ahead of ourselves, but it's not unreasonable to think that if the Bears believe they can trust Trapilo, then Poles could explore the possibility of trading Jones away and making Amegadjie the backup. Let's keep a close watch on this one.