Coach: Bears QB, receivers need better chemistry

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Bears coach Ben Johnson says he's already begun looking ahead to the 2026 season and contemplating what it will take for Chicago to be in position for success.

Among the areas Johnson feels the Bears need to improve most is the chemistry between quarterback Caleb Williams and his pass catchers.

"When I think about being fundamentally sound, we got to do a better job catching the football next year," Johnson said. "I can tell you right now that'll be a point of emphasis for us when they come back in the springtime."

The Bears had 29 drops this season, which marked the fifth-most in the NFL. Running back Kyle Monangai led the Bears with six drops followed by Olamide Zaccheaus with five and four each from Luther Burden III and D'Andre Swift.

Several players spoke about missed opportunities that occurred throughout the year because of struggles in the passing game. In Chicago's season-ending loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs, wide receiver Rome Odunze lamented his dropped pass in the red zone on the Bears' opening drive that resulted in an interception.

Johnson spoke Wednesday morning at Halas Hall, three days removed from the season ending shy of a trip to the NFC Championship. When asked about his perspective on the game-sealing interception in overtime and what he saw from wide receiver DJ Moore, who has been criticized for his route running effort, Johnson shouldered the blame.

"Here's what I'll say just off the cuff about that particular play -- if there was any sort of miscommunication, that's my problem," Johnson said. "That's no one else's but mine. I gotta do a better job coaching that up."

Johnson said he is already rejuvenated for next season but does not believe the success Chicago achieved in an 11-win season that included an NFC North title and its first playoff win in 15 years will carry over.

"There is no building off of this," Johnson said. "We go back to square one. We're back at the bottom again. That's really all 32 teams. If you feel otherwise you're probably missing the big picture. We're back at it. We gotta start from scratch, we gotta start from the fundamentals. A lot of guys talked about how difficult this training camp was; I didn't feel like it was anything out of my ordinary. They know that the expectation is. They know what the process is that we believe in as a coaching staff. I think more than anything else they're gonna know what they're getting themselves into.

"And yet we gotta dig a little bit deeper, we gotta work a little bit harder, we gotta give a little bit more if we want to take this thing over the top. It's no different -- if you're trying to lose weight, if you're trying to lose 50 pounds, the first 30 is the easiest 30. The last 20 is the hard part. We did a nice job this year but it's not enough. We gotta do more."