The Bears have big plans for Drew Dalman. Ben Johnson targeted the cerebral center in free agency, believing he can put heavy weights on his man in the middle.

Chicago’s head coach/offensive architect had no problem saying so Thursday in Dalman’s introductory press conference, using no uncertain terms.

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“He’s going to be the quarterback of our offensive line,” Johnson said. “He’ll be setting the protections in the run game for us, something he’s done in his past and I think we can put even more on his plate than what he’s been exposed to previously. I’m excited about that.”

There’s untapped potential in the 26-year-old Stanford product Johnson’s looking to extract in a Bears offense he’ll form to accentuate player strengths. Dalman has already asked Johnson for feedback on what he can do better and how he can help operate the offense efficiently.

“That’s the type of person we’re getting,” Johnson said. “He just sees this as the next step as in his growth. I think that’s going to translate to the rest of the room as well. We have some young talented players. … And it’s not just the starting group that needs to be gelled, but we have some death players, some young guys that may or may not be in the building right now that we’re going to be counting on.

“He’s going to help spearhead that charge in terms of getting everyone ready to play on Sunday.”

Dalman will also help young quarterback Caleb Williams play well on Sundays. Having someone experienced in setting protections will help relieve some pre-snap burden, though Williams still has plenty of it.

The quarterback-center relationship is as important as any on the field. Williams and Dalman will therefore spend tons of time together this offseason. Finding rhythm and solid communication will be key to operating efficiently this fall.

“Those two guys need to see the game the same way,” Johnson said. “Much like I was talking about the quarterback needs to see the game through the play caller’s eyes. Same thing with the quarterback and the center position. Between the run game, making sure the perimeter unit is locked in with what the core is doing, then in pass pro, everyone needs to know where our issues are so that we’re not getting stuck in some bad situations.

“This day and age, I think the hardest problems defenses give us is schematically in the pass rush game, the blitz pickup and those things particularly on third-down. I feel strongly that Drew is going to have the acumen to be able to help us out and problem solve. There’s unscouted looks each and every week that, as long as you understand the rules of protection, we can figure it out. Everything’s happening quickly, it’s a fun challenge. I know Drew and Caleb are looking to grow together that way.”

All this praise for Dalman isn’t meant to diminish Coleman Shelton’s contributions from a year ago, but he and a rookie quarterback (and his coaches) ran into some game-management issues at crucial times that proved detrimental to the team’s overall record.

That had to get fixed, as did in the interior offensive line. The Bears have upgraded the center spot and those around it. Dalman’s the tip of the spear in terms pre-snap responsibility but adding guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson are just as important as the center.

Dalman told me on the latest Bears on the Marquee Podcast that the center gets too much credit for pre-snap reads and adjustments despite the clear leader of that enterprise.

“It’s all about kind of narrowing the aperture about what you’re having to focus on and being able to kind of use the O-line as additional eyes for the quarterback,” Dalman said. “Communicate together and diagnose together. The less he has to do it, the more he can focus on the things that are exclusive to him.”

Williams is a smart, driven individual capable of making smart pre-snap choices, but it’s hard transitioning to complex NFL offensive rules right away. Dalman and the front are better equipped to help the quarterback in those areas. Dalman has worked with several quarterbacks, including rookies Micahel Penix and Desmond Ridder, with solid results. His goal is to bond with Williams, find out what makes him tick and how they can work well together.

“I’m really excited to learn from him as well as do everything I can to help him and take things off his plate, so that he can do the things that he does best,” Dalman said. “There’re dozens of other players on this team as I look through the roster that I’m excited to learn from, and that have had a ton of success. I feel like there’s opportunities all around me to learn from them, and kind of set goals for myself and chase after them.”