Ben Johnson wants to fix one issue with Bears offense against Jets

Then Johnson shed light on what should interest fantasy football managers nationwide.

"I would say that I think probably all of our pass catchers right now are all chomping a little bit to get fed a little bit more, and I think that's a good thing," Johnson said. "It's on me as a play caller to make sure that they all are getting the ball distributed to them, and then our quarterback's got to do a great job.

"They got to continue to play the game and take what's given to them. I think it's more on me than anything else just to make sure that everyone's getting the touches that they deserve."

Rome Odunze hasn't been a major part of Bears offense yet

Chicago is 2-1, so there isn't exactly a crisis developing in Johnson's offense. But the distribution of targets has been surprising.

Odunze has eight receptions for 139 yards and no touchdowns through three games. He's third on the Bears with only a 14.3% target share. By comparison, Kalif Raymond leads Chicago with 19 receptions and has 214 receiving yards.

Still, Odunze did become more involved in Week 3.

He caught three passes for 44 yards in Chicago's 27-7 victory over Philadelphia, including receptions of 22 and 15 yards from Case Keenum. But Luther Burden III caught seven passes, Colston Loveland had four, and Raymond led Chicago with six receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown.

Johnson's comments suggest he knows that keeping this offense functioning over a full season means finding opportunities for his top skill players, and Odunze belongs near the top of that list.

Why Ben Johnson's comments matter against the Jets in Week 4

Sunday will test Johnson's willingness to manufacture targets for his primary weapons.

The Jets haven't intercepted a pass in three games, but their coverage hasn't been easy for opposing quarterbacks to attack. The Jets have allowed 554 passing yards and five passing touchdowns while holding opponents to 6.0 yards per attempt. They've also allowed the third-fewest receiving yards on downfield throws to wide receivers and the third-lowest explosive-catch rate.

In other words, simply forcing deep balls toward Odunze isn't necessarily the answer.

That's where Johnson comes in. Whether Tyson Bagent or Keenum starts Sunday, the Bears need their quarterback to take what New York gives him. Johnson said exactly that Thursday.

But there's a difference between forcing targets and designing an offense that creates opportunities for one of its most talented receivers. And Johnson knows it.

Bears have a lot of mouths to feed

Odunze isn't the only Bears pass catcher who can demand more opportunities.

Burden just caught seven passes against Philadelphia. Raymond has been Chicago's most productive receiver through three games. Loveland remains one of the most talented young tight ends in football. Cole Kmet is still hanging around, too.

Then there is D'Andre Swift as a receiver out of the backfield.

Johnson doesn't need to establish a predetermined target quota for everyone. Football doesn't work that way, particularly when the Bears could again be starting a backup quarterback Sunday. But his willingness to publicly take responsibility is notable.

"I think it's more on me than anything else," Johnson said.

That's not Johnson criticizing his quarterbacks or suggesting Odunze should be force-fed the football. It's an acknowledgment that one of his responsibilities is making sure Chicago's offensive talent is actually being used.

Odunze hasn't had his breakout game yet in 2026. Neither has Burden nor Loveland. But Week 4 feels like it could be a 'Welcome to the 2026 season' moment for one (or more) of them.