Ben Johnson 'challenging' Bears already

Some Chicago Bears are already impressed with head coach Ben Johnson's intensity after their first day of offseason workouts Monday.

"I felt that (confidence). This guy is the real deal," linebacker Tremaine Edmunds said Tuesday of Johnson's opening message to the team, according to ESPN's Courtney Cronin.

Edmunds added, "This guy (doesn't) just want to win. We want to win by a lot. We want to dominate. That's important. That talks about his mentality, talks about his mindset. We're going to be the best that we (can) be."

Caleb Williams said Johnson gave the Bears' quarterback room an informal pop quiz Tuesday on concepts shared the previous day.

"Already first day in and challenging us," Williams said. "Everybody loves a challenge in this sport."

The Bears landed Johnson, one of the top candidates this hiring cycle, in January after firing Matt Eberflus in November. This is the 38-year-old's first head coaching gig.

Johnson was the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator from 2022-24. His offense led the NFL in points per game and ranked second in yards per contest last season, helping the team finish first in the NFC. The Lions ultimately fell to the Washington Commanders in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Williams, 23, added that he hopes to replicate the leadership Lions quarterback Jared Goff displayed on the field under Johnson.

The Bears ranked 32nd in yards (284.6) and tied for 29th in points per game (18.2) in 2024. Williams finished his rookie campaign with 3,541 total yards and 20 touchdowns but was sacked more than any other passer in the league.