ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports former Saints coach Dennis Allen is the “leading candidate” to be Ben Johnson’s defensive coordinator in Chicago.

20 January 2025

Allen would be a solid hire for the Bears as they try to get the defense back to where it was before they fired Matt Eberflus mid-season. From 2020 to 2023, Allen’s defense ranked in the top-10 in points allowed every season, and was top 10 in yards allowed in three of those four seasons. It’s not hard to argue that the reason the Saints defense fell apart this season was simply that it got too old. Johnson was, per Dianna Russini, also talking to Lou Anarumo about a defensive coordinator job.