Ben Johnson’s influence defines Day 2 of the NFL Draft for the Bears

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. — On Day 1 of the NFL Draft on Thursday night, the Bears improved their 12 personnel (two tight ends) for coach Ben Johnson’s offense by taking Colston Loveland. Friday, the team’s 11 personnel (three receivers) became more formidable with Luther Burden III.

“With what we’re trying to build with Coach Johnson, it’s multiple, everybody moving around, so you can’t get a beat,” Bears director of college scouting Breck Ackley said. “It can open the offense up.”

Welcome to the modern-day Bears, where quarterback EPA (expected points added) is valued more than defensive takeaways, and weapons are continuously sought and added for their offensive-minded head coach.

Much like Loveland in the first round, Burden can be viewed as another Johnson pick. Johnson said during the NFL’s annual meeting that he was looking for a slot receiver, and now he has one in Burden, who amassed 192 catches primarily in that role for Missouri over three seasons.

But Burden is also more than that.

And that’s the point.

“I think he has the route running and physicality to win outside; I think he has the separation ability and toughness to win inside,” Ackley said. “I think he can do both. As for Missouri, it’s more a function of what they did trying to get him the ball.”

Spreading the ball around in an offense that now features DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Burden at receiver, Cole Kmet and Loveland at tight and D’Andre Swift at running back sounds like a challenge. But you know it’s one that Johnson relishes. He’s getting what he wants for his offense.

Just listen to what the Bears’ top scouts are saying because they’re listening to him.

“The goal at the end of the day is get good football players in here,” Ackley said. “The creativity on offense that this is gonna allow … like this is one of those things where when you add a guy with (Burden’s) skill set, you find a way he competes, and what he does is he opens things up for everybody else. Now, they have to worry about more things at the end of the day.

“So, yes, one ball, one player getting the ball at all times. But I think what you’ve seen in the league, really, the more weapons that are on the field, it changes the way the defense plays you. That’s the mindset now of Coach Johnson.”

Senior director of player personnel Jeff King made similar comments a night earlier after the Bears selected Loveland at No. 10 to pair him with Kmet.

“They have a little bit of complementary skill sets, but also for us, it’s being able to mix and match those guys,” King said. “Cole can do a lot of different things as well. So having two guys with size that can separate, that can run with the ball in their hands, I think it creates mismatches. It creates creativity for an offense in Ben’s eyes.”

This is what you want to hear with Johnson in place. He received a five-year, $65 million deal from the franchise. He just ran one of the best offenses in the NFL for the past three seasons. He should be trusted. If he wants his version of Sam LaPorta in Loveland and his next Amon-Ra St. Brown in Burden, so be it. Give it to him. It’s his team now.

The Bears surprised Burden with his selection at No. 39 on Day 2. He didn’t have much contact with them during the pre-draft process. Unlike Loveland, Burden didn’t have an answer for what Johnson’s vision for him could be with the Bears.

“I haven’t really met with him,” Burden said. “So this is kind of a new journey.”

Burden felt that he should have been a first-round pick, and his confidence fit with the Bears’ selection and draft board.

“He was right there at the top where it’s at a point like, ‘Yeah, OK, this guy is a good football player and he’s right in position to take,’” Ackley said.

So the Bears did — and then they traded back from No. 41 to No. 56 with the Bills. The cluster of players on the Bears’ board changed, but they still stuck with offense, taking Boston College tackle Ozzy Trapilo. He’s a gigantic option for Johnson’s offensive line at 6-foot-8. He played left and right tackle at Boston College and didn’t commit any penalties last season.

“Just play in, play out, game in, game out, we talk about smart, tough and dependable, I think he embodies all those three things,” director of player personnel Trey Koziol said. “And for a big man who moves well, he’s a very smart football player. He’s very technically sound. And I think the dependability piece, especially in the offensive line room, can’t be overrated.”

The Bears expect him to compete immediately.

“I think the plan right now is to get into OTAs and get into camp and see what our best five is and what that combination looks like,” Koziol said. “We feel highly that this is a guy that is going to come in and compete for a spot.”

That certainly sounds like a challenge for left tackle Braxton Jones. Trapilo is the first offensive lineman drafted by the Bears under Johnson and new offensive line coach Dan Roushar. He’s joining an offensive line with three new starters: guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and center Drew Dalman.

But as Burden said, this is a “new journey.” It’s a description that certainly applies to everyone at Halas Hall, new and old.

The Bears are Ben Johnson’s team. And his Bears offense will look very different than it did before he arrived.

(Photo of Luther Burden III: Jay Biggerstaff / Imagn Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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