They’re clearly intent on bolstering their running back position, carrying five players at the position on the roster. General Manager Ryan Poles would like to see the roster grow to six or seven players. He wants to get this done before training camp opens up. This small strategy is clearly aimed at increasing both competition and depth in the backfield. It follows after the team’s failure to land a premium running back in the offseason.
Among this group, D’Andre Swift, who is preparing for his second year in Chicago, is the most dynamic option. The moment the team signed him to a three-year, $24 million contract, it felt like an indication of the faith they had in his skills. In 2023, Swift rushed for 959 yards and six touchdowns on 3.7 yards per carry. His underwhelming performance this past season raised a lot of questions. He didn’t break the century mark in any game over the course of the season.
Prior to joining the Bears, Swift had a notable season with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022, where he rushed for a career-high 1,049 yards. His experience and skill set will be important as us Chicagoans hope to see him become the center piece Chicago builds around.
The Bears’ running back room now includes recent seventh-round draft pick Kyle Monangai. None of that should discount Monangai’s pedigree as a player, having had a highly productive college career at Rutgers, scoring 21 touchdowns during his last two college seasons. He indisputably led the Big Ten in rushing attempts his senior year with 85. Moreover, he has an astounding track record of zero career fumbles.
Poles seems to be aware of the obstacles that the Bears faced through the draft process. He claimed the price of trading up in Round 1 just “didn’t add up,” despite their affection for Jeanty and other prospects. The Bears were hoping to get an RB1, either in free agency or perhaps higher in the draft. Sadly though, they never succeeded in doing so.
Even with these disappointments, Poles is right to be excited about the future with their current roster. He stated, “I know we really want to get this new coaching staff with the players that we have to see if they believe that they can help us.” More focus on player development and team chemistry, that all-important ingredient as the Bears begin to build up to the opening training camp.
On offense, it’d be a big help to this team’s running game to improve quarterback protection. It’s really important to keep an eye on Swift’s performance and new entrants like Monangai. The rookie’s commitment to ball security is noteworthy, as he remarked, “The way you kind of see me carrying the ball throughout my whole college career, that’s something that was preached, something that I worked hard on — grip strength with my hands.”
In addition to comparing guys to Swift and Monangai, J.K.Dobbins rushed for 905 yards and nine touchdowns in 2024 and was recognized as a strong candidate for the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award, finishing just behind Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in voting.
The Bears know that creating a highly competitive atmosphere has been crucial to their running back room, too. Poles emphasized this commitment by stating, “We’ll always keep our eye on the short list to see if we need to bring someone in to come in and create competition and see if we can raise the level of talent in that room.”
As the Bears turn their sights forward toward training camp, how Monangai fits in with perhaps a still-present veteran like Swift will be a storyline to follow. The coaching staff’s goal is to maximize the team’s offensive firepower. They want to establish a more powerful rushing attack that takes pressure off their young QB.
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