Ben Johnson continues rounding out his staff of assistants who will be coaching the Chicago Bears in 2025.
In case you missed it, Eric Bieniemy is joining the Bears as the team’s new running backs coach. Bieniemy, who won two Super Bowl rings while coaching with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2013-22, returns to the NFL after taking the last year to work at UCLA. A former offensive coordinator and head coaching candidate, Bieniemy will arrive in Chicago with a clean slate and a reputation of being a hard-nosed coach. Maybe we should see this hire as a sign that the new Bears coach thinks the players he is inheriting could use some toughening up. If that is the case, then hiring Bieniemy might be viewed as a strong move at this time next year.
Also hopping on board is Dan Roushar, who will serve as Chicago’s new offensive line coach. If you are reading this, then you are likely no stranger to the Bears’ offensive line troubles. And while hiring a new coach won’t serve as a cure-all, putting new eyes on old problems never hurt anything. Plus, hiring a long-time offensive line coach with ample experience could be just what this unit needs. Well, some new players would also be helpful. This team could have as many as four new starting offensive linemen in 2025. And I suppose that makes sense when you consider that quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked a league-high 68 times during his rookie season.
Ben Johnson’s Bears coaching staff is taking shape
One position group that is *NOT* getting a new coach is the tight ends room. Marquee’s Scott Bair is among those reporting that Jim Dray will be back in the fold for the 2025 season. Dray has been coaching Bears tight ends since 2022. Before landing in Chicago as part of Matt Eberflus’ staff, Dray coached for the Arizona Cardinals (2020-21) and Cleveland Browns (2019). He also appeared in 94 games in the NFL from 2010-17. Dray played 56 games with the Cardinals (2010-13, 2017), Browns (2014-15), Bills (2016), and 49ers (2016). Retaining Dray and adding Bieniemy (as well as Al Harris) makes me think that Chicago’s new head coach values coaches with playing experience (at least on some level).
My read here is that Ben Johnson does not see the drop-off in Cole Kmet’s production in 2024 as a byproduct of Jim Dray’s coaching. Kmet played in all 17 games last season but saw only 55 targets, hauled in just 47 receptions, put up 474 receiving yards, and scored just four touchdowns. This downturn in production came one year after the Notre Dame product collected 73 catches, 719 receiving yards, and six scores.
Perhaps Kmet will receive some positive regression next season. If he does, then we might see Jim Dray’s retention as an important piece of the puzzle. As it stands, it does not take a ton of hard work to make a case that Dray was a key piece in the tight end’s development. Kmet went from catching no touchdown passes in 2021 to snagging seven scores in his first season with Jim Dray as his position coach. There were signs of development in 2022 and 2023 before the fall-off in 2024. Last year’s Bears offense was a mess. That anyone got anything done seems like a miraculous accomplishment.
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For what it’s worth, Ben Johnson probably isn’t done hiring coaches. But with that being said, there does not seem to be any hurry to announce the new hires. And that is probably fine as long as Chicago’s football team has everything in place by the time the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis rolls around. As things stand right now, I do not have much to quibble about when it comes to the new-look Bears coaching staff. Hopefully, they don’t give us anything to complain about when everyone gets together for minicamp, OTAs, and training camp.