It’s been a minute, but I have a fresh batch of Bears thoughts to get out there today before I engulf myself in free agency and draft prep work for the foreseeable future. At the top of my notebook is the impression that Ben Johnson has made on me his week. Today’s Bears Bits is beefy, so let’s cut the small talk and get right into it.

1. Ben Johnson is a breath of fresh air. With the NFL world in Indianapolis for the Scouting Combine this week, we’ve gotten our first peek at the personality of new head coach Ben Johnson, and the early returns are worth writing home about.

Johnson hasn’t only said all of the right things at the podium in Indianapolis, but he’s been able to articulate his school of thought on football in a way that we’re not used to seeing or hearing from Bears head coaches. During the process leading up to the hiring of Ben Johnson, the most significant question was: What type of leader will Johnson be? But we needed to learn more about who Johnson was to answer that question. After his week of speaking at the combine in various settings, he’s a math nerd turned football coach who operates with an uncanny attention to detail and an intensity lacking around Halas Hall for a long time.

Johnson’s candor on his thoughts on the offense, the hiring process of his new coaching staff, how he plans on leaning on defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and special teams coordinator Richard Hightower, and his offensive assistance to call plays, develop Caleb Williams, and be the CEO of the entire team has been refreshing. His interview with Dan Katz and PFT Commenter on Pardon My Take on Wednesday was terrific. We learned that Johnson can still knock down 405 on the squat rack and that, like many Bears fans, he would gladly sacrifice a testicle for a Super Bowl in Chicago.

We also learned that Johnson’s bag of tricks as an offensive play-caller is more profound than anyone expected, and his ability to design a game plan is as good as advertised. His football IQ is off the charts, and while time will tell, I’ve never felt better about a Bears hire. Even for all the success that Lovie Smith had in Chicago, I don’t remember being this genuinely excited about him before his team took the field.

2. Ben Johnson will make the Bears respect the small things. One comment from Johnson this week was particularly encouraging. While speaking about wide receiver D.J. Moore, Johnson said that Moore is one of the best after-the-catch receivers in the league, which no one will dispute. However, Johnson said the quiet part I observed on film all season long: Moore isn’t a willing participant in the blocking game, and if that doesn’t change, his workload as a pass catcher will.

“No block, no rock,” Johnson said.

FULL STORY:

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