The Chicago Bears are fresh off a disappointing season in 2024, as they were the only team from the NFC North to miss out on the playoffs while finishing last in the division for the third consecutive year.
However, it wasn’t all doom and gloom for Chicago. First overall pick Caleb Williams may have struggled with consistency, finishing the year as PFN’s 33rd-ranked quarterback with a 63.2 QB+ grade, but he still threw for 3,541 yards on a 62.5% completion rate with a 20:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
With Williams, running back D’Andre Swift, and wideouts Rome Odunze and D.J. Moore in place, the Bears have the foundation of a really strong offensive core, especially with new head coach (and revered offensive wunderkind) Ben Johnson calling the shots.
Naturally, Johnson will likely want to onboard a few of his own guys as he puts his scheme in place in Chicago. Could he and the new front office regime get aggressive during the 2025 NFL Draft?
Chicago Bears Predicted To Select Big Ten Rushing Leader In PFSN Mock Draft
In the latest Pro Football and Sports Network mock draft, written by Jacob Infante, the Bears are projected to trade back in Round 1 to select edge rusher James Pearce Jr. at No. 15 before holding serve and taking guard Donovan Jackson (No. 39) and defensive tackle Tyleik Williams (No. 41) in the second round.
Then, with a new second-round selection from their trade back in the first round, Infante expects the Bears to grab Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson at No. 46 overall.
“With the Bears having acquired an extra second-round pick by trading back in Round 1 of this hypothetical, they would have an opportunity to give new head coach Ben Johnson a strong running back tandem like what he had in Detroit,” Infante explains.
“Kaleb Johnson is a big-bodied, powerful running back with the strength and contact balance to be the ‘Knuckles’ to D’Andre Swift’s ‘Sonic.’ He also has the ball-carrier vision in between the tackles and the straight-line explosiveness needed to project as a quality starting back in the NFL.”
Johnson is fresh off a brilliant junior season with the Hawkeyes, having led the Big Ten conference in rushing yards (1,537) and touchdowns (21). He was named an All-American for his efforts in the 2024 season.
Though the Bears already have a surefire starter at running back in Swift, the five-year veteran struggled with efficiency in 2024 as he racked up just 3.8 yards per carry.
Giving the 26-year-old a change of pace mate in the backfield could work wonders, especially after watching David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs wreak havoc in the Lions’ backfield under Johnson’s tutelage over the past two seasons.
Though adding a No. 2 running back may not be the sexiest addition in the world, if there’s any coach in the NFL that can make it worthwhile, it’s Ben Johnson. Perhaps a Johnson-Johnson combo in Chicago could be just what the Bears need to compete in a loaded NFC North in 2025.