It's easy to wonder if there was method to Ben Johnson's madness when he mentioned tight end Joel Wilson as one of the four most surprising players in offseason work as minicamp ended.
Maybe there were multiple reasons.
"He has a little savvy in how he moves," Johnson said about Wilson. "He has a nice route feel about him. The test will really be when we get going in camp, how he holds up in the run game and in the past pro game. But, so far, in the running routes section of tight end play, I think he stood out in a positive light."
Wilson, a former Central Michigan player who went undrafted in 2023, is 6-foot-4, 242 pounds and at that size his ability to provide blocking does need to be in question.
However, he also showed hands during minicamp and OTAs like a good wide receiver has, and he had a knack for beating linebackers and even safeties. Just being open so often and acknowledging the obvious was sufficient reason for Johnson singling out Wilson.
However, part of the reason for thinking there could be something more to mentioning Wilson as a surprise player besides his performance is he plays where Colston Loveland plays.
Loveland hasn't been able to practice after his January shoulder surgery.
Could it be a little bit more of an offseason spur for the 10th pick in the draft to know someone else unexpected was playing well in his position? After all, Johnson says he wants his players feeling "comfortable with feeling uncomfortable." Keeping everyone offbalance is a goal.
It's definitely possible, but Loveland is going to be plenty motivated once he gets on the field for the first time and he seemed plenty ready to run onto the field regardless of his shoulder back during rookie minicamp. Fortunately, medical sanity prevailed.
Besides, Wilson has been with the Bears on the practice squad since the middle of last season when they had an injury run on their third and fourth tight ends. The Giants picked him up and waived him a week later and the Bears added him to the practice squad in October.
Another possible reason Johnson could be mentioning Wilson prominently is this is yet another Matt LaFleur tweak.
Wilson is a former Packers player. They signed him to their practice squad midway through 2023 after the Saints and then Bills had him first as an undrafted player following a career at Central Michigan when he made 82 catches for 874 yards and 11 TDs. The Packers waived him just before the 2024 season, before he went to the Giants for a week.
There has been a low-key war of words brewing between Johnson and the Green Bay Packers coach since Johnson said at his open press conference that he left Detroit but wanted to stay in the NFC North because he liked "beating Matt LaFleur."
Both have sent salvos back and forth.
With Johnson as offensive coordinator in Detroit, the Lions were 5-1 against LaFleur's Packers.
Finding good use for former Packers players would be yet another good way to get in a jab at them.
It's going to be tough competition at training camp for Wilson, though. Not only are Cole Kmet and Loveland ahead of him, but also Johnson has long-time ties to third tight end Durham Smythe from their days with the Dolphins in 2012-13.
The Bears do also have former Packers defensive tackle Jonathan Ford, wide receiver Samori Toure and, of course, have had former Packers safety Jonathan Owens since the 2024 season as a backup and celebrity husband of Olympic gymnast Simone Biles. All of those acquisitions happened while Matt Eberflus was still coach.
Toure probably had more catches in offseason work than even Wilson. He seemed to get open for all manner of throws and from all four quarterbacks, and showed up often as a red zone target. That couldn't be good news for a player like Tyler Scott in the receiver battle for roster spots.
Green Bay fans can twist this all into the Bears having a roster so poor they need to collect Packers refuse. But if those players somehow come back to haunt them, all the more fun for a coach who seems to have no problem stoking a fire with his rivals.
It's more likely the play of Wilson simply warranted mention, but Johnson was under no obligation to answer this question put to him by Mark Carman of CHGO, to name a player or players who surprised him this offseason.
In fact, Johnson not only answered it, he gave out four names and did it a day after he first didn't answer it. He explained Thursday he simply wanted to put deeper thought into it and came back with a real answer for Carman.
Eberflus had been less forthcoming when he had this opportunity to reward or provide sparks. That was an attitude similar to what other past Bears coaches showed, particularly John Fox.
Chicago reporters are not used to being given this much consideration from Bears head coaches. Of this, there is absolutely no doubt.
Johnson even answered questions during OTAs and minicamp about injuries.
