Editor’s note: We’re doing some different things to keep the Bears conversation going during the slowest part of the NFL calendar, during the summer just before training camp. We’re doing some roster projections and mailbags and divisional power rankings and now we’re adding some debate to these proceeding. Enter our “Take a Side” series, where we’ll discuss a polarizing topic each Wednesday until the Bears report for camp. Let’s update a topic we’ve touched on before, about the Bears running backs.
The Bears essentially stood pat at the running back position. They added Kyle Monangai in the seventh round but nothing before that, in both the NFL Draft and in free agency.
That shouldn’t infer a lack of desire or attempt. Sometimes a prospect doesn’t fall to you in a particular round. Sometimes a free agent chooses another opportunity or a bigger contract.
Ryan Poles is left with feature back D’Andre Swift, more physical running Roschon Johnson, and Monangai as the primary options.
That allows us to bring up a topic that has been a prevalent conversation since the NFL draft. Things have changed a lot since then, so it’s worth examining the situation in an updated landscape.
Should the Bears add a running before the start of camp?
Not anymore. Standing pat seems like the right thing to do.
Head coach Ben Johnson has praised Swift at most every turn, and Swift’s motivation seems sky-high following a relatively disappointing first season in Chicago.
Johnson also gained a positive impression of Monangai during the offseason program. The Rutgers star was praised for his attention to detail and ability to pick up a new scheme. Whether that translates to a solid camp is uncertain, but Monangai’s off to a good start.
Roschon Johnson is a former third-round pick who is a tough runner and probably deserved more carries than the previous staff gave him.
There’s another factor here. The staff didn’t sign several intriguing street free agents. That could be a sign that they’re good standing pat. Or maybe they didn’t want to invest a ton more in the position group.
Now J.K. Dobbins is in Denver. Nick Chubb is in Houston. Those might’ve been the top options, with largely older backs left available. Jamaal Williams is over 30 and has worked well with Johnson previously, in Detroit, with 17 touchdowns in Johnson’s first year as Lions offensive coordinator. His per-carry average has dropped significantly since then, though a flyer’s never out of the question should Johnson not love his backs in training camp.
Gus Edwards could provide some physicality at 238 pounds. He has a career 4.7 yards per carry but had a career low 3.6 yards per carry and just 4.1 ypc before that. We don’t know what the asking price is for those two, so it’s tough to paint a complete picture of the Bears’ intentions at this stage.
There are options available to the Bears but, at this point, it’s probably smarter for the Bears to hang with the younger backs for the time being and revaluate things later in the summer.
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