With the NFL Draft a little over two weeks away, Bears head coach Ben Johnson is busy laying the foundation for the winning team he intends to build in his first season in Chicago, after their dilapidated 5-12 finish in 2024.

As the spring flowers were planted outside, inside Halas Hall it was back to work for phase one of the offseason program, as Johnson spoke to the team for the first time as a whole since replacing Matt Eberflus as head coach.

"We're just setting the tone for what we want to do this year, and really just having a sense of urgency right now, and not just waiting and going through a process figuring out what we're going to do, but establishing who we are," said cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds said, as a first-time head coach, it was important for Johnson to show he could address the locker room.

"You feel that as players. You feel that as everybody in the room. He stepped up there with confidence. Guys was all ears, you know what I mean? Gave him the utmost respect. You feel that as players. I felt that, and I'm like, 'Okay, this guy's the real deal.' We've got the same type mindset, so that's the thing that you get most excited about," he said.

Quarterback Caleb Williams said Johnson was already quizzing the quarterback room at the start of their voluntary offseason program.

"Ben walked in this morning, flung open the door, made a grand entrance, and then we got to work of him testing us about what we talked about yesterday, and things like that So, already first day in and challenging us. … Everybody loves a challenge," he said.

This is the time of year for optimism and excitement, but as Johnson put it, hype doesn't win you any games. Johnson and Williams both said it's about putting in the work, and that starts now.