King in the North: Ben Johnson could poach another NFC North rival for DC job

For the Chicago Bears, the 2024 season began as one of the most optimistic in recent history. The team was expected to threaten for a playoff berth after adding quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and several high-profile acquisitions in free agency. Instead, things quickly devolved into an unmitigated disaster, one that cost head coach Matt Eberflus his job.

The Bears announced former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their new head coach on Monday, bringing newfound hope to the downtrodden franchise. Johnson has been a highly coveted coaching candidate for years, but he emerged as the top candidate this cycle after crafting the league's top-scoring offensive unit in Detroit.

There has been plenty of jubilation in Chicago after the team poached away the premier coaching candidate from their NFC North rival, but there is plenty of work that lies ahead.

Bears could steal another coach from an NFC North rival

Johnson now has to go about reconstructing the team's coaching staff in the coming weeks, and his first move could bring another NFC North coach to Chicago. The Bears requested to interview Minnesota Vikings passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Daronte Jones for their defensive coordinator position, per NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.

Jones has more than two decades of overall coaching experience and has worked with the Vikings for four seasons, according to the team's website. He previously spent one season with LSU in 2021, and served as an assistant defensive backs coach for the Miami Dolphins (2016-17) and Cincinnati Bengals (2018-19). Jones has worked alongside great defensive minds such as Brian Flores, Vance Joseph and Marvin Lewis, among others.

Jones isn't the only candidate who the Bears have requested to interview for the defensive coordinator role. Former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen was named as a leading candidate, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Chicago also requested to interview Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach and passing game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant, per Rapoport.

There will be plenty of vacancies to fill in the coming weeks before Johnson can address roster concerns. As they attempt to recover from the wreckage of their season, the Bears will not retain interim head coach Thomas Brown, interim offensive coordinator Chris Beatty, offensive line coach Chris Morgan, quarterbacks coach Kerry Joseph or defensive coordinator Eric Washington.