The Chicago Bears blew past many expectations in Ben Johnson’s first year as head coach. A lot of them were on the offensive side of the ball, where Johnson helped Caleb Williams have his best season to date, rebuilt the offensive line, and brought a potent rushing attack to Chicago.
But like many teams that have successful seasons, Johnson’s staff took a hit in the weeks following the 2025 campaign. Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle left to take a playcalling role with the Baltimore Ravens, and the Bears countered by promoting passing game coordinator Press Taylor as his replacement.
Taylor’s promotion isn’t a seismic move as Johnson remains the final voice in the Bears’ offense. But it could have a residual effect on the backfield, as Roschon Johnson could be competing for his job this offseason.
Press Taylor Could Have Role in Roschon Johnson’s Departure from Bears
Johnson’s first three years in Chicago have been a roller coaster. Selected by the Bears in the fourth round of the 2023 draft, Johnson had a decent start to his career with 352 yards and two touchdowns on the ground and 34 catches for 209 yards in his rookie year.
His playing time dropped in his sophomore campaign with 150 yards and six touchdowns rushing and 16 catches for 104 yards, but there was some hope that Ben Johnson, who orchestrated a high-octane ground game with the Detroit Lions, could get some more out of the Texas product.
Unfortunately, the hits kept coming. The Bears selected Kyle Monangai in the seventh round of the 2025 draft, and he immediately leapfrogged Johnson on the depth chart. With D’Andre Swift locked into the top role, Johnson received just two carries in seven games during the 2025 season and suffered foot, thumb, and back injuries that kept him from establishing momentum.
While it wasn’t a great season, Johnson could at least claim to have his job at the end of the year. But that could change with Taylor’s promotion.
Taylor wasn’t known for great ground games when he was the offensive coordinator with the Jacksonville Jaguars, which never ranked higher than 14th in rushing offense. But he did have Travis Etienne at his disposal, who is considered one of the best running backs and a potential target for the Bears in this year’s free agent class.
This puts Johnson in an awkward position. It would be surprising to see the Bears spend on another running back when Swift carries an $8.8 million cap hit for next season per Over The Cap. But it’s also possible that the Bears move on from Swift and clear $7.4 million off the cap to find a younger alternative in free agency. Even if Swift isn’t released, Etienne could be an upgrade over Monangai, pushing everyone down the depth chart.
The current group of running backs makes signing Etienne, or any free agent running back, a pipe dream. But it’s also a possibility that the Bears could look for another back in April’s draft. While Ryan Poles hasn’t traded up in the first round during his stint as general manager, last year’s success could create some urgency and inspire him to make an aggressive move to get Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love. It’s even more possible that Chicago waits until the mid-to-late rounds to get a running back, who could compete for Johnson’s spot during offseason workouts and training camp.
Taylor doesn’t have the same voice that Johnson does in the Bears’ offense. But he could at least have a say in bolstering the back end of the depth chart and a running back that could be groomed to be Swift’s successor after next season.
If that happens, Johnson is probably out the door, and it could be the end of a declining situation in Chicago.