Ben Johnson has agreed to a deal to become the new head coach of the Chicago Bears, and it appears he is looking to surround himself with experience.
The news of Johnson becoming the next head coach in Chicago surfaced on Monday, but the 38-year-old has already been in talks with potential assistants. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Johnson is looking to assemble a “star-studded staff” and that former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen is a leading candidate to be named the defensive coordinator of the Bears.
Allen was fired by the Saints this season following a 2-7 start. He was in his third season as the head coach in New Orleans after taking over for Sean Payton, who left in 2022.
Prior to being named head coach of the Saints, Allen was the team’s defensive coordinator for seven seasons. He was the head coach of the Oakland Raiders for two-plus seasons before arriving in New Orleans.
Allen has been a coach in the NFL in some capacity for more than two decades. It makes sense that Johnson would want to have an assistant like him on staff.
