Ashton Jeanty loves the idea of playing for Bears |
Now that the Superbowl is finally over, and congrats to the Philadelphia Eagles for finally being able to dethrone the Chiefs, it's time for the 2025 NFL offseason to begin. With that comes the most critical Bears offseason in quite some time as Ben Johnson is set to embark on his first offseason as the Bears head coach.
It may seem like every year is the most crucial offseason for the Bears, and to some extent, that may be correct. However, with this being Johnson's first season as the coach, there is a different sense of urgency and anticipation. Johnson comes from an organization that not only remade itself from the ground up but also succeeded in both the free agent market and the draft. That is something the Bears haven't done well with on either front, although they have had more luck in free agency the past few seasons. Ryan Poles is expected to get an extension shortly, and Johnson will play a massive role in what this team does in the future. You can point to two significant holes by looking at how the roster is currently constructed and what they need to do to improve. The first and most important area to address is the offensive line, which has been an issue for the past five seasons. Anytime your rookie QB gets sacked an NFL-high 68 times, there is a cause for concern, and the Bears know they can't let that happen again. Adding one or two, if not three, offensive linemen should be the main priority for the team this season, and many would like them to use their first-round pick on a guy like Will Campbell or Kevin Blanks to make that happen. However, when you look at the free agent market and the amount of offensive line talent available, the Bears could choose to use their resources that way, opening the door for other options in the draft. The same can be said for their other significant need: addressing the pass rush. As with the offensive line, several talented pass rushers will be available this offseason, and with Dennis Allen calling the shots on defense, look for the Bears to make a significant push for many of those guys. Should the Bears address both needs on the open market, they could take the best player with the No. 10 overall pick. That player could be RB Ashton Jeanty, who not only would be a home run pick for this team but has hinted at the possibility of joining the Bears and how much fun it could be. Coming off the second-best season in NCAA history where Jeanty rushed for 2,601 yards and 29 TDs, the 5-9 215-pounder is a home run threat waiting to happen. You saw that in his first two seasons, as he topped 800 yards and seven touchdowns as a freshman before ripping off 1347 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore. His Junior season this past year opened everyone's eyes, as he showed that he is not only the best running back in the nation but also one of the best players. To go with the eye-popping stats comes his impressive 7.0 yards per carry average, as he can get a first down every time he touches the ball. That kind of production can't happen without terrific blocking up front, and if the Bears don't fix that, it won't matter who is carrying the ball under center. Seeing Jeanty fall to No. 10 would be a shock, considering most Mock drafts have him going in the 6-8 range, but it can't be ruled out of the possibilities. This is an era where running backs haven't been valued as high as they once were, but that could be changing, change Saquon Barkley did this season. When asked where he would like to play, Jeanty said this about the Chicago Bears and their selection. "Those Chicago Bears are sitting pretty nice," Jeanty told NBC Sports. I think that might be a nice destination as well, but any team that takes me in the Top 10 would be nice."
Jeanty is thinking big picture as he knows his talent and what he brings to the table. As big of a selection as he could be, running back isn't at the top of the list regarding needs, as D'Andre Swift is entering the second year of his four-year deal while Roschon Johnson is in year three.
Let's be honest: Johnson has been very disappointing thus far, and Swift, although the stats were good at the end of the year, wasn't what the Bears expected him to be. You must also consider Ben Johnson and where he came from, as Detroit featured the best backfield in the NFL, with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs leading the way.
Knowing their success with what they called their Thunder and Lightning, you could see a scenario where Johnson tries to create something like that in Chicago. Adding Jeanty would be a massive step in doing so, as he could be the Thunder or the Lightning to the Bears backfield, with Swift doing whatever is asked of him from that point on.
