Darnell Wright and the rest of the Chicago Bears’ offensive line will be under the guidance of a new leader in 2025.
The Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs (via Twitter/X) reports the team is expected to hire Dan Roushar as its new offensive line coach. Roushar is one of a handful of candidates who was rumored to have the Bears’ interest as they looked to fill a vital position on Ben Johnson’s first staff. The 64-year-old Roushar has extensive experience coaching offensive linemen, so I am hopeful that his years of hands-on tutelage will help the Bears emerge from the bottom of the O-line rankings.
Dan Roushar has quite a task ahead in coaching the Bears’ offensive line
If Dan Roushar’s name sounds familiar, it might be because he has coached at the University of Illinois (1995-96, 2003-04) and at Northern Illinois University (1997-02). Roushar also has coaching experience at Michigan State (2007-12), and with the New Orleans Saints (2013-2022). For what it’s worth, there is some overlap between Roushar and new Bears Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen, who were both coaches for the New Orleans Saints from 2015 to 2022.
Odds are that the reason Dan Roushar’s name rings a bell is that he was the first offensive line coach candidate on our radar in January. This is a snippet of what we had to say when his name first surface in connection with the opening:
I find it interesting that Roushar has held multiple roles at several stops along the way. To me, it suggests that his bosses value his coaching style and don’t mind moving him around. With that being said, his history coaching of offensive linemen is lengthy. In addition to the work bulleted above, Dan Roushar has coached offensive linemen at Cincinnati (2005-06, OL Coach), Northern Illinois University (1997, OL Coach), and Illinois (1996, OTs Coach), Rhode Island (1993, OL Coach), and Butler (1989-92, OC and OL Coach). Tapping into that wealth of knowledge could lift the Bears’ offensive line off the mat.
Conceptually, I like the idea of hiring an offensive line coach with a wealth of experience. The Bears could have as many as four new starting offensive linemen next year, with three new starters along the interior being a near certainty. With that in mind, it would make sense for the Bears to hire someone who can serve as a teacher for an influx of new talent — especially if Chicago’s front office uses the 2025 NFL Draft to upgrade in the trenches.
MORE: How the Chicago Bears Can Improve Their Offensive Line With Their First-Round Pick
Caleb Williams was sacked a league-high 68 times in 2024. Chicago’s QB1 also took more hits than I care to count. Williams was often under duress and it hurt his development as a rookie. Kudos to Caleb for gutting it out, playing all 17 games, and not appearing on the injury report once. It is a testament to his toughness that I was able to write the preceding sentence. So while getting a new offensive line coach is big news for the dudes in the trenches, I am sure that the quarterbacks and running backs on this roster are welcoming the report of a new leader in the trenches with open arms.
With that being said, I hope the next step for the Bears’ offensive line improvement plan is to inject an influx of new talent. Upgrading the talent level in the trenches is a high priority under Ben Johnson’s watch, with one report saying the team is “all-in” on fixing the offensive line with a new head coach in tow. NFL insiders see Chicago as a team to watch for the top free agent O-line targets. And if you’re curious about how much it’ll cost to provide a boost to the offensive line, we’ve got you covered here.
