Before he became the head coach of the Chicago Bears, Ben Johnson spent three years as the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, which meant he had to prepare for facing Chicago's defense, including safety Jaquan Brisker.

Brisker, who missed 12 games last year due to a concussion, comes into the 2025 season with a full bill of health as he prepares to work with new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who wants his defensive to play aggressive (which just happens to be Brisker's specialty).

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Now that Brisker is on his team, Johnson was able to reflect on the challenges he faced as an offensive coordinator preparing for the Bears' hard-hitting and intense safety. Johnson recently discussed his previous preparation for going against Brisker and what opposing teams may have to prepare for themselves this season.

"He was a guy that you had to earmark," Johnson said about Brisker. "Make sure you knew where he was when you game plan against him, because he was very active, particularly in the run game. He liked to come down and fill in the box, played like a linebacker that happened to be a defensive back. Not afraid to hit you. We always told the receivers that they had to make sure they accounted for him. Can't see that right now without the pads, but you can certainly see an active player. He's excited, he's passionate about the game. He loves playing football. He likes to talk a little bit, too, which I appreciate."

Brisker's return to the Bears defense will not only be a positive on the field, but in the locker room for overall team morale. Brisker is one of the most passionate and energetic players on the Bears roster, not to mention one of the most talented. So if Brisker can stay healthy this season, it should help bring the defense to become a force in Johnson's first year.

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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: How Ben Johnson used to prepare for facing Bears' Jaquan Brisker