Remember when the Chicago Bears were supposedly going to “take the NFC North and never give it back?” It feels like both yesterday and a lifetime ago since Chicago’s general manager, Ryan Poles, made that infamous promise. His new five-year extension gives him some more time to actually fulfill said promise.

Three seasons and three NFC North last-place finishes later, and that team is still struggling to find its identity. But with back-to-back division titles, it’s actually the Detroit Lions who occupy top-dog status in the North. In the midst of a full-blown identity crisis, Poles has put all of its eggs into Caleb Williams’ basket.

His first season was pretty forgettable, but they still believe he’s the guy to bring the Poles-led 15-36 Bears back into relevancy. One major reason for hope is coming their way, and he’s a face Detroit fans know all too well. This offseason, former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson took his talents to the Windy City to become their new head coach. The move is widely viewed as paramount for Williams’ development, and Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox further cemented the sentiment with the arrival of Ben Johnson being the biggest reason for optimism for Bears fans heading into 2025.

Now we’ve got Bears trying to look like Lions to save face

Knox pointed to the duo of Johnson and Williams as the beacon for hope:

“Most importantly, Chicago hired a new head coach in Ben Johnson who should help Williams reach his potential. Over the last three seasons, Johnson helped create one of the league’s most explosive and dynamic offenses as the Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator,” Knox wrote. “If he can do the same in Chicago while also managing his head-coaching duties, Williams will be in a position to succeed.”

So, if their new head coach can just copy what he did in Detroit, the Bears should feel hopeful. Ouch. How’s that for being innovative and creative?

For reference, the Lions’ biggest reason for optimism was just that they’re getting healthy… not stealing another team’s identity in the hopes it works for theirs. But the Bear be Bears, right?

This is an organization that couldn’t even elevate a QB who supposedly was the best signal-calling prospect since Andrew Luck. So maybe they do need the Lions’ help to get them out of the basement. The NFL is a copycat league, so why just settle for schemes and packages when you can just steal the whole mastermind himself?

After struggling the past three seasons, Poles knew he needed a lifeline. So he turned to the team that actually took the North. The Bears aren’t building something new—they’re hoping Detroit’s formula can save them. What a win for optimism!