A Scout’s Take on the 2024 Chicago Bears Running Back Position
A Scout’s Take on the 2024 Chicago Bears Running Back Position
We are only in the OTA phase of the 2024 off-season program, but it’s never too early to try to figure out what the Chicago Bears roster will look like for the regular season in September.
On paper, the running back position looks solid, with the acquisition of D’Andre Swift in free agency combined with returnees Khalil Herbert and second-year man Roschon Johnson. The group as a whole complements each other very well, as each has his own style.
Swift will be the lead back as he was not only one of the bigger free agent acquisitions, but his overall game is the strongest of the group. D’Andre has both speed and quickness, as well as a complete game. He is quick to the hole with a slashing style and can make people miss to find the open seam. He has the speed to turn the corner on outside runs and pull away for the home run long gainers. With his quickness and elusiveness, he can make defenders miss both in tight places and in space. As a receiver, he runs good routes, has sure hands, and adjusts to the ball very well. In short, Swift is capable of making a big play as a runner or a receiver.
It’s my opinion that Johson will get the bulk of the work in a rotation with Swift. Johnson has more size than Swift and runs with more power. He can be the guy that moves the chains. While he lacks the speed to be a big play threat, he has a very consistent overall game. He may not get a 40-yard run, but he will get several 10 – 15 yarders that makes an offense successful. Roschon is a very dependable receiver and may be the best pass blocker of the group. While there is a drop-off between Swift and Johnson, Johnson is capable of being a lead back for many teams. He is that talented.
Herbert has been a consistent runner for the Bears the last three seasons. In 2022, he was second to David Montgomery in rushing with 731 yards and a 5.7 yards per carry average. Last year, he had 611 yards and a 4.6-yard average.
The problem with Herbert’s game is it’s one-dimensional. While he’s a good runner, he’s unreliable as a pass blocker and a receiver. On passing downs, he just can’t be trusted as a blocker, and it is questionable if he can catch the ball as a receiver. For those reasons, he may be expendable. This is the final year of Herbert's rookie contract, and because of that, he may have value in the trade market. If the Bears kept him this year, they would probably let him walk as a free agent next spring and get nothing in return. A trade between now and the start of the season would net something.
If Herbert is the odd man out, the player with the best chance to replace him would be Wheeler. Wheeler is just a little smaller than Herbert at 5092 – 210, but he also has 4.41 speed. At Howard, he was the number three runner in a three-man rotation, but it’s his work as a kickoff returner that may earn him a job.
Over the last three seasons, Wheeler has returned three kicks for touchdowns, and last season, he averaged 29 yards per return. With the new kickoff return rules this year, it’s imperative that the Bears find a quality kickoff returner and Wheeler just may be the guy.
While Wheeler played in a rotation at Howard, his career yards per carry average is over 6.0. He is an explosive, quick cutter capable of breaking a long run at any given time. He has also been a reliable receiver while at Howard.
It’s safe to say that with or without Herbert, the Bears running backs will be a strong group with speed and big play potential. Both Swift and Johnson also give the offense another dimension as receivers. It may not be the best group in the League, but it’s damn good.
The Bears have used a fullback in their offense in the last two years, and that player has been Khari Blasingame. Khari is what he is and that is he is a very dependable blocker both in the run and pass game. He seldom gets to touch the ball, as he only has 11 carries in his five NFL seasons. Khari can also catch the ball well, but like when he’s running the ball, he seldom gets an opportunity. His job is to block, and he is very good at it, but the reality is he’s one-dimensional and gives the team little as a runner or receiver.
New Bears Offensive Coordinator Shane Waldron did not have a fullback when he was with Seattle, so it remains to be seen if he will use one here in Chicago. Many clubs with no fullback on the roster use one of the reserve tight ends in that role when they need a lead blocker. It’s a smart way to use a roster, as the team doesn’t have to use a roster spot on a seldom-used player, and I’d say it’s a safe bet that Blasingame won’t be part of this Bears team.