How Ben Johnson Is Reportedly Behind The Bears’ Quiet Free Agency
The Chicago Bears have made what could be considered as only one notable splash in free agency. That was when they signed productive safety Coby Bryant, fresh off a Super Bowl victory in Seattle. They also signed linebacker Devin Bush to a nice deal, but nothing close to the top of the market. Outside of that, all of their moves have been on the bargain market, shoring up depth and adding competition. Lots of Bears fans are unhappy about it, feeling the team hasn’t gotten any better from what it was last season. Some even think they’ve regressed. Blame Ben Johnson for that.
At least that is what Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune stated on 104.3 The Score. This approach isn’t an accident brought about by bad luck. It is a deliberate choice.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles has long said his intention was to be selective in free agency and build through the draft. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to do that during those first three years because the coaching staff under Matt Eberflus wasn’t up to the task of properly developing players. Johnson’s arrival has changed things, and it showed last season with Colston Loveland, Luther Burden, and Kyle Monangai all having outstanding rookie years.
This approach by Ben Johnson shouldn’t be surprising.
You must remember where the man comes from. He rose to prominence in Detroit, where the Lions under general manager Brad Holmes never made free agency a priority. They often signed role players or backups to shore up team depth and focused on the draft. It has certainly worked in their favor. Since 2021, the Lions have drafted six Pro Bowl players, helping the team deliver its first four-year stretch of winning seasons since 1969 to 1972. That is the biggest selling point of drafting and developing. If you do it right, you tend to have sustained success.
Ben Johnson has already seen the blueprint work and believes in his and his staff’s abilities to coach up young players. Last year was a proof-of-concept. Now they just have to stick to the plan. The problem is, Bears fans don’t like it. They take the lack of splashy moves as a sign that the Bears are being cheap or already waving the white flag on 2026. It couldn’t be further from the truth. It is Johnson’s message that he is committed to a specific vision, one that involves making this team a sustained contender.
To do that, you must first break bad habits. A big one is their reliance on free agency.
| Player | Position | Status | Previous Team | Contract Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coby Bryant | S | New Signing | Seahawks | 3 years, $40M ($25.75M GTD) |
| Devin Bush Jr. | LB | New Signing | Browns | 3 years, $30M ($21M GTD) |
| Neville Gallimore | DT | New Signing | Colts | 2 years, $12M ($5M GTD) |
| Braxton Jones | LT | Re-signed | Bears | 1 year, $10M (max value) |
| D’Marco Jackson | LB | Re-signed | Bears | 2 years, $7.5M (up to $10.5M) |
| Cam Lewis | DB | New Signing | Bills | 2 years, $6M ($2.75M GTD) |
| Case Keenum | QB | Re-signed | Bears | 2 years, $5.5M (up to $8M) |
| Kalif Raymond | WR/RS | New Signing | Lions | 1 year, $5.1M |
| Daniel Hardy | DE | Re-signed | Bears | 2 years, $5M extension |
| Theo Benedet | OL | Re-signed | Bears | 1 year, $1M |
| Jedrick Wills Jr. | OT | New Signing | Browns | 1 year (Terms TBD) |
| Kentavius Street | DL | New Signing | Falcons | 1 year (Terms TBD) |
| Elijah Hicks | S | Re-signed | Bears | 1 year |
| Jordan McFadden | OL | Re-signed | Bears | 1 year |
The Bears could have a lot of bodies coming in soon.
As of the writing of this article, the team has 54 players under contract on the roster, including all their new additions. That means there are still 36 open slots on the roster left to fill before training camp this summer. Currently, the Bears have seven draft picks. The math is telling a clear story here. It seems the team may plan to expand that selection inventory either before or during the draft, something the Poles have done many times in the past. It also means they might be more active on the undrafted free agent market. They only signed 12 last year. That number could approach 18-20 this year.
Ben Johnson is intent on making this roster younger and faster. The process is already well underway. Such a task isn’t done through free agency. Sure, the Bears will add more depth on the veteran market in the coming weeks, but that is no longer their focus. Every indication is that they are looking towards the draft. The salary cap says. Their actions say it. Johnson is content with this strategy and seems to be encouraging it.