The Bears boast a rising quarterback in Caleb Williams and a stockpile of weapons to go along with a good offensive line.
“I love the challenge of watching Luther Burden and how do we get him the ball and maximize what he does best, along with Rome (Odunze), along with Colston (Loveland) and Cole (Kmet),” Johnson said. “We’ve got a whole bunch of weapons that we’re looking to maximize. I think that’s the fun part. The plays don’t matter to me that much. It’s more, how do we get those guys the ball with some space to do what they do so well?”
Burden entered the season strong as he became more confident in the offense. The shifty wideout, who had 25 catches and 357 yards in his final five regular-season games, is poised for a breakout campaign. Odunze, when healthy, provides a big penalty box that can work on the perimeter and stretch the field. And Loveland, who led the Bears in yards and receptions last season, continues to grow as a mismatch weapon.
Williams is the key to Johnson’s offense taking another leap. The Madden NFL 27 cover athlete made significant strides last season, and taking another step forward could propel the Bears offense from a top-10 unit to a very upper echelon. Johnson noted that Williams’ comfort in the offense is growing, but it always helps to have the improv skills in the back pack when things break down.
“There’s a lot of unpredictability involved,” Johnson said. “As he continues to grow and develop, if the structure of the play is there for him, he’ll take it. But what he can do out of structure is really unique, and I think that makes us even harder to defend.”