The Chicago Bears were hoping for a revolutionary season. Several people predicted that the team would be back in the playoff picture, thanks to drafting generational quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick and having one of the best receivers in D.J. Moore.
However, a subpar season for both of their stars, along with some dreadful coaching miscues, led Chicago to just five wins on the season. Now, with an offensive genius in Ben Johnson as their new head coach, there is optimism for a better year in the Windy City.
But Johnson isn’t messing around. On his first day, he made it clear to the locker room that they needed to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, and while he hailed Moore as one of the best receivers in the league, he also vowed to hold him accountable.
Ben Johnson Sends Clear Message To D.J. Moore
Moore has been highly productive throughout his career in the NFL, tallying over 1,000 yards for three consecutive seasons with the Carolina Panthers from 2019-21. He joined the Bears in the 2023 season and racked up a career-high 1,364 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
While Moore’s production dropped below 1,000 yards last season, he was still the most reliable target for Williams and finished with a team-high 966 yards. But Johnson believes he hasn’t been used properly in his two seasons with the Bears so far and lauded him as the best after-catch receiver in the NFL.
“D.J. Moore is one of the best run-after-catch receivers in the NFL, and I don’t know that the rest of the league knows that per se. So, we just got to find a way to get him the ball a certain number of times every game,” Johnson said on Waddle and Silvy for ESPN 1000.
The former Lions OC then made it clear that if Moore intended to play in his offense, he had to contribute to the defense as well.
“Of course, he knows; he better be blocking as well because no block, no rock,” he added
#Bears HC Ben Johnson highlighted DJ Moore as one of the best after the catch receivers in the league.
One thing I found interesting: "No block. No rock."
He said he'll need to block to work in this offense. Already seeing some of that accountability pop up.
— Aaron Leming (@AaronLemingNFL) February 25, 2025
Johnson also noted that “the pass catchers and Caleb Williams must get together on their own this offseason, or they are going to come into camp behind the curve. Again, putting some accountability on the players out of the gate”, per NFL reporter Aaron Leming.
Both these signs bode extremely well for Moore and the young Bears team that could grow together with a 38-year-old first-time head coach.
For four seasons, Johnson revolutionized the Lions’ offense and made it the best offense in the NFL, according to PFN’s Offense+ metric. And for those who have high hopes for Williams as the franchise quarterback in Chicago, Johnson paved the way for Jared Goff to finish as the league’s second-best QB, according to PFN’s QB+ metric.
Johnson could take the Bears’ offense to new heights and improve Williams from the No. 33 overall QB ranking he garnered this season. After all, Goff was sitting in 26th before Johnson took over play-calling duties in Detroit.
The 38-year-old also helped turn the Lions’ 2021 12th overall pick, Amon-Ra St. Brown, into one of the most consistent receivers in the league. The former USC receiver tallied 912 yards in his rookie season and has since crossed the 1,000 mark for three straight seasons, including a 1,515-yard season in 2023.
Johnson’s incredible combination of innovative passing sets and trick plays, combined with a bevy of rushing calls, made Detroit’s offense completely unpredictable. With Williams and Moore, he has a chance to replicate some of that success in Chicago as well.
Going to a division rival will be a tough challenge, especially with the Lions’ fan base already throwing vitriol at their now-departed offensive coordinator. But, as his mindset suggests, Johnson is ready for the challenge.