The Media may be hyping up Chicago Bears receiver Luther Burden III and newly drafted receiver Zavion Thomas, but Ben Johnson did not mince his words when asked directly about the ceiling that D'Andre Swift brings to the table. Johnson's answer wasn't a criticism of Swift, but rather it was a comment on his ability to do more.
Ben Johnson still believes D'Andre Swift has another gear
Swift is a catching running back. Across his whole career, Swift has netted over 2,000 receiving yards. That's more that can be said from some players in the league who are actual receivers.
"I mean, we could certainly target him more in the passing game, but theres probably a number of guys I could say that for, as well. But he's a dynamic player. I've known that about him since he cam inti the league. First hand up there in Detroit. And certainly last year. I wasn't surprised with the year that he had. Is he capable of more? Absolutely. He's a vital part of what we do here."Ben Johnson
Ben Johnson and Swift have a history together. Johnson served as the first offensive coordinator that Swift worked under in the NFL after he was drafted by Detroit. If any coach was tailor-made for Swift to succeed in the NFL, it's Johnson. Johnson understands Swift's abilities and celing arguably better than Swift does, as all good coaches should.
The addition of receiver Zavion Thomas may throw a monkey wrench into the whole operation, in a good way. Zavion is being billed by the greater NFL media as a "gadget player", the type of player that brings a dual, or even, triple threat to the table. If the Bears intend to involve Swift more in the passing game, this could create a truly unpredictable environment for any defense up against Chicago.
Johnson's comments are also notable because they came without any prompting about Swift's future. He could have easily shifted the conversation toward the wide receivers or the overall offense, but instead he made it clear that Swift remains a player the Bears want to feature. When a coach says a player is capable of more and calls him a vital piece of the offense, that's a strong endorsement heading into training camp.
The Bears may have added new weapons, but Johnson's comments suggest Swift is far from an afterthought. If the head coach follows through on his belief that more is available in the passing game, Swift could end up being one of the biggest beneficiaries of Chicago's evolving offense.
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