While the Chicago Bears struggled to do most offensive objectives well, it was no different for the fourth-year running back in David Montgomery.
Montgomery finished the season with 225 rushes for 849 yards and seven touchdowns. David Montgomery also added 301 yards through the air off 42 receptions.
While it wasn’t purely rushing yards, David Montgomery eclipsed 1,000 all-purpose yards, which is certainly nothing to bat an eye at.
The Chicago Bears 2021 season hurt David Montgomery’s stock, and Madden 23 took note
With that said, Montgomery’s efforts last season earned him a Madden 23 rating of 84, ranking him 17th among active running backs. And in all honesty, there aren’t many running backs ranked above him that aren’t better than him.
In Montgomery’s time with the Chicago Bears, he’s been good. He hasn’t been exceptional, but that’s mostly due to his lack of get-away speed, as well as being tied to a Chicago Bears team that’s lacked skill in areas he relies on. Whether that be offensive line play, quarterback play, or inept play-calling, David Montgomery has faced his fair share of battles.
That said, David Montgomery is going into his “contract year,” meaning that the outcome of this year will likely place the final price tag as to what it’ll cost to bring Montgomery back — if that’s in the interests of Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears.
It’s tough to say, as this isn’t always the case, but Madden got this rating correct. David Montgomery is a middle-of-the-pack running back in terms of production. What he brings to the table that isn’t measurable on the field is what makes David Montgomery special, but at the same time, Madden doesn’t care about that stuff.
Just because a player is liked among their team doesn’t mean their Madden rating will be bumped up. The team at EA cares about production and production alone. So, while David Montgomery is a fan favorite, he’s not a running back that can carry the Chicago Bears to a Super Bowl.
As for now, he’s a good —not great — running back that has a bit to prove this season if he wants to get paid handsomely; and Madden took note of that in his initial Madden 23 rating.