(670 The Score) As first-year Bears head coach Ben Johnson is implementing his offense, new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is preparing to mold his unit to fit his vision.
Allen, 52, is a former head coach who has earned a reputation as a bright defensive tactician. He has taken over a Bears defense that has a solid core in place but is coming off a disappointing season. The Bears ranked 13th in scoring defense and 27th in total defense in 2024.
Early on, Allen is making a strong impression.
“He’s a very complex individual,” defensive end Montez Sweat said. “He has a lot of fronts and schemes and things that he can attack the offense with. So yeah, he’s a great guy, smart.
“(Allen’s defense) presents its challenges – different fronts, different coverages and things like that. It’s just more than I heard to learn in the past I would say. So he’s definitely a little more complex than the DCs I had in the past.”
Johnson tabbed Allen as his defensive coordinator in late January. Though the two had never worked together, Johnson admired Allen’s work from afar.
The Bears’ defense regressed in 2024 under then-head coach Matt Eberflus' direction. He was then fired in late November. Chicago’s defense was its strength in 2023 under Eberflus' watch.
With Allen leading the Bears’ defense, Johnson believes the unit will once again be a strength.
“It's everything I thought it would be, really,” Johnson said. “It's a guy that's done it at a high level. He's coordinated, he's orchestrated a number of high-performing defenses. Whether it's points allowed, whether it's third-down defense, whether it's red zone, he's got a plan, he's super smart. Shoot, we were just sitting in my office yesterday talking about some game management things that have popped up, whether it's here in Chicago, where I was at the past, where he was in the past, and we see the game naturally the same way.
“He's aggressive by nature. I can appreciate that about him, and I think he's got a great message every time these guys walk into the building and go to one of his meetings. And so I'm really excited about working with him.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.