25 Days Until Chicago Bears 2017 Season Kicks off: Ka’Deem Carey Profile
The Bear Goggles On Countdown to Kickoff series is now underway. With 25 days to go until the Bears season kicks off we will highlight the Bears player that is wearing number 25, Ka’Deem Carey.
2016 Season Review
Carey was relatively quiet in 2016 due to his position on the depth chart. With Jeremy Langford emerging out of camp as the starter and the incredible rookie season of Jordan Howard, Carey never figured much into the offense.
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Carey had a couple of solid games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Green Bay Packers but was nonexistent in other games. When he did receive limited opportunities he failed to take advantage of them. Carey has proved himself over his first three seasons to be a run of the mill backup that can do several things slightly below average. He finished 2016 with 126 yards on 32 carries.
Carey has separated himself to be a contributor on special teams which may be an asset to his roster position for 2017 but beyond that his chances at running back are uninspiring.
2017 Outlook
Carey’s roster spot is firmly on the bubble. He has zero chance to leap Howard or rookie Tarik Cohen, so he will battle Langford and Benny Cunningham for the third and potentially fourth running back spot.
The difference for Carey could be special teams. If he no longer holds value above other special teamers, the Bears may not see his value on the roster, but if he is still a top special teams contributor, he could make the roster still.
The Bears almost always carry four running backs on the roster, and with focus on the running game that his season, they probably will again this year. If they choose to cut down to just three running backs, it’s almost impossible to see Carey as the lone back kept after Howard and Cohen.
Future with Bears
Carey’s future with the Bears beyond this season is nil. While he has a less than 50-50 chance to make the roster this season, he enters this season on the final year of his rookie deal. The Bears will not bring him back. Carey probably has enough skills to bounce around the league for a few more seasons, but it won’t be in Chicago. If he does make the Bears roster in 2017, he certainly won’t be brought back in 2018.