The Chicago Bears are set to undergo a full head-coaching search this offseason. One of their top players already has some opinions about where the franchise should turn next, however, with All-Pro cornerback Jaylon Johnson openly hoping the Bears court an offensive mind to help quarterback Caleb Williams.
Johnson’s top priority is welcoming a leader who can elevate Williams’ comfort as the team’s signal-caller, Prime Video’s Kaylee Hartung reported during the Bears’ Thursday night game against the Seattle Seahawks. Not only that, but he listed a few specific offensive coordinators as logical candidates: Ben Johnson (Detroit Lions), Kliff Kingsbury (Washington Commanders) and Joe Brady (Buffalo Bills).
Johnson didn’t identify one favorite of the bunch, per Hartung, but clearly values an upgrade in offensive staffing, despite the club’s current interim, Thomas Brown, hailing from that side of the ball.
Ben Johnson has been considered one of the top head-coaching candidates of recent cycles, only to stick with Detroit as a top strategist for one of the league’s best offenses. Kingsbury had just one winning season in four years as the Arizona Cardinals‘ head coach from 2019-2022, but he’s also overseen an Offensive Rookie of the Year candidacy by Jayden Daniels in Washington this year. Brady, meanwhile, is in his first full season as the Bills’ play-caller, and his quarterback, Josh Allen, is an MVP frontrunner.
Jaylon Johnson has been with the Bears since 2020, enduring two different regimes. He arrived under coach Matt Nagy, who was fired after the 2021 campaign and replaced with the defensively minded Matt Eberflus.
