Raheem Mostert of the San Francisco 49ers has requested a trade, and while he would be a good addition to the Chicago Bears, it would not be a good idea to trade for him.
It was obvious that the offense the Chicago Bears ran last year floundered. The front office has done the best they could this offseason to address the stagnant offense. They brought in some offensive line help, added to the receiver corps, and brought in quarterback competition.
Some might say that they need help at running back as well since David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen did not provide enough production for a contending team in 2019. I believe that the Bears are actually set well with their backfield duo, as they are a perfect pair for this team. I do not see a need to sign any big names, or trade for anyone at the running back position.
Raheem Mostert is an interesting story, because he went from being a practice squad guy to running for over 200 yards in the NFC Championship last year for the San Francisco 49ers. He even was a member of the Bears in 2016 under Ryan Pace when he was signed to the team’s practice squad. So, the thought of bringing him back to spark the offense most likely has crossed Pace’s mind, but he should not pull the trigger on this one.
As good as Mostert was last year, he was playing behind a top offensive line and was part of a backfield group including Tevin Coleman and Matt Breida, who are both very capable backs. He had a great blocking tight end in George Kittle to provide extra room for him to run, as well as the top fullback in the league in Kyle Juszczyk. He had everything he needed to be as successful as he was. The Bears do not have as good of a line or running back group as the 49ers, which is why their running game lacked in production.
Trading for Mostert would mean that the development of Montgomery is stalled. The Bears have invested heavily in Montgomery, as they traded up to draft him in 2019. Bringing in another star back, like Mostert, would take away from the touches he would normally get. Also, it seems that Montgomery is primed for a breakout season, as he showed some elite potential on many occasions. With a slightly improved line and better playcalling, he has the tools he needs to become a capable starting back on a playoff team. He is younger, is under contract longer, and has more potential than Mostert, who is mainly a speed back. Montgomery is a do-it-all back who can mix power running with finesse.
Montgomery and Cohen seem to be a perfect pair in the backfield. Cohen is the speed guy who is used as a flex option while Montgomery is setting up to be the primary back. They complement each other very well, and given more time playing together their impact can be huge for this team.
As good as Raheem Mostert is, it is not worth giving assets away to add to a position that seems to be set already for the Bears. He would provide an instant boost to this offense, but it would jeopardize what the Bears are trying to do with this offense, and also put the development of future star David Montgomery on hold.