The Chicago Bears made their offseason intentions abundantly clear, then went out and executed.
Ben Johnson's new club needed to get more rugged in the trenches. Through the early part of the offseason, they did just that, trading for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and agreeing to terms with center Drew Dalman this week. On defense, they added beef in Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo.
On Wednesday, the club held their press conference with trade acquisitions Thuney and Jackson, and Johnson highlighted the reason for adding the veteran people-movers.
"We want some tough, some gritty, some dirty individuals, and we feel pretty good about the two guys we got," the coach said, via the team's official website. "'Smart' is a word that comes to mind, particularly with the interior players. We would love to have some versatility to our scheme, some multiplicity if you will. We've got a couple guys in the building now that we feel strongly can handle a variety of different concepts and schemes that we might want to employ each and every week.
"Beyond that, their play speaks for themselves in terms of what the tape says. The character, the integrity, it's top notch. I can speak firsthand with Jonah, and (general manager) Ryan (Poles) can speak firsthand with Joe. I'm really, really excited to get these guys in the room. Combined with the coaches that we've already put together for that room, I feel really good about the style of play we'll have this year."
In 2024, the Bears' line had more holes than a block of Swiss cheese. Given the prices and limited supply in free agency, Poles was wise to turn to the trade market. Given Thuney's age and Jackson's injury history, there are some risks, but considering the circumstances, it's a win for Chicago.
Last year, the Bears' offseason was characterized by adding weapons and a rookie quarterback. This season, Johnson is emphasizing toughness in the trenches. The moves won't only help Caleb Williams in Year 2 but should also help open a ground game that struggled to find traction. The additions also provide flexibility in the draft, where perhaps Johnson takes another page from the Lions' book and acquires a running back early.
