It's hard to believe it's been over two months since the Chicago Bears hired Ben Johnson as their next head coach. The former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator hasn't wasted any time shaping the Bears into his image, which has already earned a fair amount of praise from players and fans alike.
Even though Johnson has successfully created goodwill in the Windy City in a few months, the offseason hype won't matter if the on-field results don't follow. That's why the 38-year-old HC's roster must be as close to full strength as possible come training camp, which means getting various injured veterans back into the lineup.
Training camp isn't for another few months, however, that didn't stop Johnson from sharing a positive injury update regarding two Bears vets earlier this week.
Bears Share Positive Braxton Jones, Jaquan Brisker Injury Updates
While in Florida for the NFL's annual meetings earlier this week, Johnson had some encouraging news regarding injured safety Jaquan Brisker and offensive lineman Braxton Jones.
When it came to Brisker, the Bears HC told the Chicago Sun Times' Patrick Finley that the veteran defender "is healthy" and that "other teams will have to account for" his presence. The former Penn State defensive back has suffered three concussions throughout his young NFL career, which includes one that caused him to miss 12 games last season.
Johnson also revealed that Jones will likely miss the start of next month's offseason activities as he continues recovering from ankle surgery. The good news is that the starting OL is "on the right track" to make a full recovery, and the Bears coaching staff is hopeful he can put on some extra weight upon his return.
Chicago is a better team when the veteran duo is playing, leaving time to tell just how available they'll be in September.
Brisker, 25, is a former Bears second-round pick who only appeared in five games last season. He used his limited availability to generate 23 solo tackles, two broken-up passes, one forced fumble, an interception, and a sack, leading to a 63.5 Pro Football Focus coverage grade.
Meanwhile, Jones was one of the NFL's better blockers across his 12 starts, finishing among the top OTs regarding pass protection (80.8, 17th) and run blocking (70.2, 30th). Bears won't deny just how talented the ex-Southern Utah product is. However, it's up to him to prove he can be healthy enough to consistently display his talents on the field after missing 11 games in the last two seasons.
A healthy season from Brisker, Jones, and the rest of the Bears veterans is paramount to surpassing last year's five-win total. Speaking of which, Chicago's projected win total for the 2025 season currently sits at 8.5, with FanDuel Sportsbook favoring the Under at -130 odds.
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