Khalil Herbert deserves a bigger role in the Chicago Bears offense
By Evan Bruner
After showing flashes as a rookie, Khalil Herbert has earned a bigger role in the 2022 Bears offense. For as many holes as the Bears may have entering the 2022 season, one unit where they seem to be adequate is running back. With David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert, as well as the additions of Darryton Evans and Tresten Ebner, Chicago’s running back room packs a punch.
Given the lack of depth at receiver and tight end, it’s reasonable to think the Chicago Bears will rely heavily on the running game at times this season. That is why it is crucial the new regime does a better job of managing its backs than the previous one.
Khalil Herbert deserves a bigger role in this Chicago Bears offense
In 2021, the Bears had a simple approach to their running back situation. When David Montgomery was healthy, he got the vast majority of the snaps and carries, and it wasn’t unless he was hurt that Khalil Herbert would get extended reps. This concept made sense at the start of the season, but once Herbert showed his worth in Montgomery’s absence, putting him back on the bench was a major head-scratcher.
Herbert and Montgomery have contrasting styles that should allow them to co-exist, and balancing their workloads could prove to be beneficial to both them and the entire offense. As Chicago Bears fans surely know by now, Montgomery is more of a power runner. He has outstanding balance and is nearly impossible to bring down on first contact. The one downside to Montgomery’s game is that he lacks explosiveness. He lacks both the burst and top-end speed to break off many huge runs.
This is where Herbert comes in. While Herbert can also break tackles, where he really excels is as a change-of-pace back. He has excellent burst and vision, which help him churn out big runs. In his final year in college, Herbert averaged 7.6 yards per carry thanks to those big plays. The main concern with Herbert’s game is that his strengths may be suited for a lower-usage role. However, that is exactly how he can be used in Chicago in 2022.
Montgomery can be the primary ball carrier, but the team should make sure they carve out a sizable role in the offense for Herbert. Around 10-15 carries a game would make Herbert a significant part of the offense while still giving him enough rest in between carries to keep the explosive play threat alive. This would also force opposing defenses to adjust, as Khalil Herbert and Montgomery have very different running styles.
The one caveat to this plan is that Montgomery is the much better pass catcher of the two, which could make Khalil Herbert a nonfactor in pass-first games. This is why his development as a receiver should be something fans and analysts closely monitor.
The Bears should be looking for any edge they can get offensively, and even something as small as rotating running backs could pay dividends in the long run.