Most people out of Halas Hall think about the Chicago Bears' offense and how explosive it was last season. Head coach Ben Johnson shares an underrated position group that people should know about heading into the 2026 NFL season.
When people think about the Chicago Bears, Ben Johnson's offense is likely the first thing that comes to mind for people outside of Halas Hall.
The unit finished top 10 in scoring and No. 3 in total rushing offense, with quarterback Caleb Williams making the unit one of the league's most explosive offenses.
The offense is easily the most identifiable aspect about the Bears right now.
Although the team has the Monsters of the Midway nickname, defense has become somewhat of an after thought. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's unit did finish first in the NFL in takeaways last season, but many of the other areas were towards the bottom of the league.
Before Tuesday's training camp practice, the Bears' head coach was asked for his opinion on the team's most underrated position group that people outside of the building wouldn't know about. The answer may surprise most Bears fans.
"I think our interior defensive line's better than probably (what) the outside world gives them credit for," Johnson said. "I know some guys might be rookies, they might be free agents that people don't know about as much, but the way they've gone about their business, I've been really impressed with."
The Bears' defensive line ranked towards the bottom of the league in many key categories.
According to Sharp Football Analysis, the Bears ranked towards the bottom of the league in several key run defensive categories.
- Pressure Rate: 31.5% (28th)
- No Blitz Pressure Rate: 29.7% (Tied for 29th)
- Yards Before Contact Per RB Rush: 1.8 (Tied for 31st)
- Rush Stuff Rate: 15.3% (30th)
That's a position group that general manager Ryan Poles added to this offseason with free agents Neville Gallimore, Kentavius Street and James Lynch. The Bears also selected Jordan van den Berg in the sixth round out of Georgia Tech. Those new additions join veteran Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter Sr. and Shemar Turner, who is still on the PUP list.
Dexter is entering a contract year and will have plenty to prove to this coaching staff this season if he want to remain in Chicago past this year. Johnson knows what the 6-foot-6, 326-pound interior defensive lineman is capable of when everything is working for the former second-round draft pick.
"He's a big buy, he does a great job being available," Johnson said. "I don't think he's missed a game in his career yet. He's done a great job. And yet we've challenged him to do some technique things a little bit different this year. When he does it, it's a beautiful thing, because he is a strong, he is a big man and he's willing to run guys down sideline to sideline. I think that's what's awesome. The consistency level is what we're still trying to get on a day-in, day-out, play-in, play-out perspective. But when he does it right, does it the way that we're looking for, it's a pretty thing."
Someone else who has caught Johnson's eye is van den Berg, especially his play against the Cincinnati Bengals when he chased down quarterback Josh Johnson towards the sideline and dove to finish the play.
"He's a beast," Johnson said. "This guy ... he's an incredible athlete. He's still learning the game of football to a degree, and yet it's amazing what he brings to the table. He's been the same guy every single day. Smile on his face. He loves football. He loves the process. ..."
Johnson made it clear he doesn't want van den Berg hitting the quarterback out of bounds, but that high-motor effort is snapshot of what the Bears' head coach likes about his interior defensive line heading into the 2026 NFL season.
