Chicago Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson had a lot on his mind when he met the media at Halas Hall during Day 2 of the team’s minicamp practice sessions. I’ve gathered highlights, added commentary for context and depth, and shared the video of his entire press conference below. Enjoy!
Why Ben Johnson is buying stock in Luther Burden III
Hearing Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson declare that now is the time to buy stock in second-year receiver Luther Burden III is pretty awesome on its own. But that part of Johnson’s quip is just the tip of the iceberg. I think you need to hear the whole clip and get the entire message.
.@lutherburden3 stock ??? pic.twitter.com/NGa5hd6l85
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 28, 2026“Yeah, I’m buying Luther Burden stock right now. Just how he’s approached his offseason, it’s been electric. That showed up yesterday. He had numerous explosive plays. I loved how in phase two, he was finishing every single rep that he took. And that really translated over to yesterday as well. So he’s in a really good spot. He’s still developing and growing his route tree. Coach El and Isaiah Ford, they’ve done a phenomenal job with him, working to develop those things. Speed cuts, to sharp breaks, releases, things of that nature. He’s been extremely coachable, so I’m really with him.”
Again, in isolation, hearing that it is time to buy Burden stock is neat. But to hear the why and understand what the Mizzou product has done to earn such praise from his head coach isn’t inconsequential. In fact, I think it is a pretty big deal. In Year 1 as a head coach, Ben Johnson wasn’t one to dole out undeserved praise. And yet, this offseason, we’ve heard the Bears head coach be vocal about the work Burden is putting in as he enters his second season. This is a huge deal.
What a difference a year makes…
Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson was asked what feels different now compared to this time last year, and his response was eye-opening:
“It’s everything. It’s the entire team. Everyone knows what the expectations are in the building. What meetings look like. We talked about meetings, walk-through, practice. It’s noticeable to me, just one day of OTAs, the guys that were here last year versus the new guys to the program, whether they’re rookies or free agents, there’s a different level of — I don’t want to say comfort — but they know what it’s supposed to look like. And, so, that’s a good thing. We can kind of hit the ground a little bit.”
“From an offensive perspective, you certainly see a lot of guys picking up where they left off. I know our quarterback room is in a different place than it was a year ago. Our route runners certainly feel that way, from how we do routes on air to what it looks like in a team setting. O-line, same thing there, you see that guys aren’t thinking quite as much. They’re now being able to play faster.
“Defensively, you see the same thing going on. I feel strongly about how we’re coaching them. We went back to the fundamentals on all three levels of our defense, and that showed up yesterday. We’re off to a good start, we’ll see what the rest of the way looks like.”
It is wild to think about how much can change in a year. Stop and think about what was happening at this time last year. The Bears were learning a new coaching staff and new systems on both sides of the ball. And it showed with every tweet, social media post, and report from those on the beat who would comment about issues the team was having with the basics.
This isn’t to say that stuff won’t pop up every now and again between now and when the regular season kicks off in September. But it sounds like it won’t happen enough to be a hindrance to the team’s overall development. This is what good coaching looks like, and I’m thankful to have it with Ben Johnson after living through the Marc Trestman, Matt Nagy, and Matt Eberflus eras of Bears football.
Ben Johnson (L) shake hands with Cubs manager Craig Counsell (R) before a baseball game at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn ImagesExtra Points
Here is a Ben Johnson quote I loved and want plastered everywhere because it is something I vibe with: “We’re just building our foundation on what the 2026 Chicago Bears are going to look like. That’s all we’re really focused on. We’ll worry about the season, opponents, and all that come training camp, end of training camp, we’ll start turning the page. But for right now, we’re all about the work, we’re all about the grind.” Ben Johnson on the offensive line: “I think that’s one of the bigger challenges in our sport is getting five guys to play as one. And that’s regardless of how long they’ve been together. But I think we’ve got a couple of the best offensive line coaches in the business running that operation..” This Garrett Bradbury call-out sure is interesting: “A guy like Garrett Bradbury impressed on Day 1 just with the level of communication that he brings to the table. He’s loud, he’s demonstrative. I know he’s going to get all five guys on the same page.”BEN JOHNSON REACTS TO THE DILLON THIENEMAN PICK
On Jaylon Johnson being in the building for OTAs: “I appreciate him being here now with his teammates and getting to know them. We have a lot of new faces in the building, so you can’t overstate the importance of getting to know your buddy because you’re going to lay it out on the line for him on game day. And that’s what we’re looking to do right now.” Ben Johnson shares what’s next for Austin Booker: “He’s another one that missed some time last year. So I think the more time on task we have, coaching staff, how we’re coaching things, I think it’s just going to add up. He is still a young player, still developing. His body’s changed since he came in the building a year ago, from where we ended the season even. He continues to add more mass. Stronger player. He gets smarter as we go, and I think the coaching is really going to be conducive to his style of play as well.” We’ll close with another Ben Johnson quote I loved: “Here’s what I know about our group right now. We’ve got a bunch of really hard workers. I couldn’t be more impressed with the last five weeks, five and a half weeks now, and how they’ve approached their business. So I’m really excited here to get another good day of OTAs in.”CHECK OUT THE BN BEARS PODCAST: Apple | Spotify | YouTube
Hence then, the article about ben johnson sounds off on burden booker bradbury jaylon more was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Ben Johnson Sounds Off on Burden, Booker, Bradbury, Jaylon, More )
Also on site :
- Ben Sulayem’s power move: Wants FIA term limits scrapped!
- Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code MHSDYW: Double Winnings for MLB, Spurs-Thunder Game 6
- Rangers vs. Astros: Injury Report, Updates & Probable Starters – May 28