Inside Ben Johnson’s Plan to ‘Breathe Life’ in the Bears’ Run Game

The Chicago Bears are set to undergo a dramatic change on offense under new head coach Ben Johnson. With all the new additions and coaching changes, that seems obvious. But what isn’t talked about as much is how much the Bears’ run game will change.

Johnson, who architected one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses with the Detroit Lions, brings a system that should breathe life into a Bears run game that lacked an identity the past few seasons. The biggest shift? A heavy dose of outside zone runs, which is something that can unlock the true potential of Chicago’s backfield, especially running back D’Andre Swift.

Chicago Bears’ Run Game Set for a Transformation Under Ben Johnson

In a YouTube video by Bootleg Football, Brett Kollmann and EJ Snyder discussed what’s going to change in Chicago’s run game among various topics and brought up some key statistics.

Last season, the Lions used outside zone runs on 50.1% of their rushing plays, the third-highest rate in the NFL. That philosophy helped Detroit become one of the league’s most consistent rushing teams, mixing inside zone, gap schemes, and play-action to keep defenses off-balance. The Bears, on the other hand, were not an outside zone-heavy team.

Essentially, an outside zone run concept is a versatile run play that moves defenders horizontally by using leverage and cutoff blocks.

With Caleb Williams under center and a revamped offensive staff, Johnson’s scheme is expected to bring much-needed structure and efficiency. A major benefit of the outside zone scheme is its ability to create clear running lanes through stretch blocking and backside cuts. It requires smart, agile offensive linemen, and the Bears made a savvy move to support that vision by signing center Drew Dalman in free agency.

The thing with running an outside zone scheme is you can’t just implement it on offense and believe it’ll automatically be successful. It requires the right personnel for the job, and Dalman is exactly what the Bears need to make it work.

He comes from the Atlanta Falcons, who led the NFL in outside zone frequency at 64% last season. Dalman’s experience executing those concepts will be invaluable in helping to implement the shift in blocking assignments, especially for a new-look Bears offensive line.

D’Andre Swift Poised for a Huge Season

GettyD’Andre Swift is in the perfect place for a breakout season.

While Dalman’s presence will be key in the trenches, perhaps the biggest beneficiary of the scheme change will be Swift. He previously thrived in outside zone looks when he was in Detroit with Johnson, where he averaged 5.4 yards per carry on outsize zone runs in 2022 with the Lions. Fast-forward to last season in Chicago, and his overall yards per carry dropped to just 3.8.

Swift’s strengths as a quick-cutter align with what outside zone demands. Unlike power concepts that ask backs to barrel through specific gaps, outside zone allows runners like Swift to read the leverage of defenders and cut into open lanes. Reuniting with Johnson, who knows how to leverage his skill set, could be the key to enjoying sustained success in Chicago.

Although Chicago’s offensive personnel is different from what Johnson had in Detroit, his adaptability as a play-caller will ensure he tailors the system to the strengths of the personnel he has. That includes finding creative ways to use Swift in the passing game, another area where he thrived under Johnson.

And it won’t just be Dalman and Swift that benefit from this new system. Plenty of other guys on the roster will soon be able to showcase their highest potential in the new offensive system.