The Chicago Bears will either be re-signing David Montgomery or will be adding a new running back in free agency or the draft. While so many fans want the team to go big or go home, the reality is that they need a complement to Khalil Herbert more than they need a do-everything type of runner.
Some of the biggest traits that David Montgomery brought to highlight Herbert were the ability to move the chains in short-yardage situations, be a reliable pass catcher, and pass blocker. The question is less about how much can the team spend to replace him, and more about how can they get that skill set at a cheaper rate than Montgomery, who may get paid like a do-everything back.
6. If Chicago Bears spend on a running back, it should be Jamaal Williams
If the Chicago Bears spend on a running back, it should not even be David Montgomery, it should be Jamaal Williams. Okay, that is a little hyperbolic because Jamaal Williams will probably not get a deal as big as Montgomery. Montgomery can do a little bit more than Williams, but Williams can do is everything Chicago needs.
Khalil Hebert is a big play waiting to happen. They do not want to get him injured pounding him between the tackles and is much better on stretch zone rushes anyways. So, Jamaal Williams can come in as the power back who grinds between the tackles. No one was better near the goal line, and converting those third and shorts.
Beyond that, he is a great pass protector, which is where Herbert struggles. Jamaal Williams signed for $3M per year last year, and his projected salary is around $4M this year. The Chicago Bears could throw him a few extra, lock him in for $6M, and that is still less than almost any projection for Montgomery by a decent bit. For the role, and the money this is how the Chicago Bears need to invest in running back.
5. Chicago Bears could sign D’onta Foreman to a reasonable deal
D’Onta Foreman is in a similar boat to Jamaal Williams. He can do most of what the Chicago Bears would ask David Montgomery to do, but at a fraction of the price. Foreman signed for $2M last season, and while he had a good season, his projection is still around $3.4. This is going to come in less than Jamaal Williams, so if they do miss out there, this could be the move.
Foreman tore his Achilles, and many thought his career was over. It did wipe out two years, but the last two seasons have shown that Foreman is back. That is impressive and next season he will be 27, so there may be one or two more fresh seasons in him.
Foreman was a part of the Panthers finding life towards the end of the season last year. He saw the Christian McCaffrey trade and took advantage. Inside the five-yard line, he had seven rushes and converted three touchdowns to close out the season. He also added five 100-yard rushing games.
Back when he was coming out of college, this is what many expected of him. Now, the Chicago Bears may get a similar runner to his old days, but at pennies of the cost. The one question with Foreman is that he provides little in the passing game. Still, his running style of downhill and power is exactly what the Chicago Bears need, and at the price, they could rely on Darrynton Evans or Trestan Ebner in the pass game and go to a three-man committee.
4. Alexander Mattison may finally get his chance with the Chicago Bears.
Alexander Mattison could easily be a diamond in the rough. Anytime he gets a chance to shine, he does. However, he is the backup to Dalvin Cook, so while he has had a chance or two, he also is an unknown.
He could see the Chicago Bears losing David Montgomery and realize a lot of touches just opened up. He could sign with the team at a reasonable deal, hope to blow up next to Justin Fields, and then really cash in the following year.
As far as a scheme fit, it is perfect. Coming out of the NFL draft, we compared David Montgomery to Alexander Mattison often, and it appeared as though Mattison was just the poor man version of Montgomery. They had similar skill sets, but one went to Iowa State and made Big 12 highlights, while Mattison was at Boise State.
Mattison went in the same round just about 30 picks after Montgomery went. He just happened to be behind Dalvin Cook, while it took Montgomery one week to beat out Mike Davis. If they are in different roles, is Mattison about to get paid, while Montgomery is the sleeper that the Bears should sign?
3. Could Devin Singletary go from Josh Allen to Justin Fields?
Devin Singletary is another running back from the same draft class as David Montgomery. Still, the big catch is that most project him to get a few million dollars less than Montgomery did. Singletary was the Buffalo Bills running in the red zone, and until they added James Cook, he was also the passing down back.
One of the other nice features of Singletary is that he was in an offense with Josh Allen. While we will not get into the Josh Allen and Justin Fields comparison, where they can be compared is their threat on the ground.
One reason Singletary remained the red zone back is that the team could trust that if they ran Josh Allen on bootlegs and things like that that Singletary would sell fakes, or get out ahead as a blocker for his quarterback. It is the small details of playing with a primary rusher in the red zone like that which made Singletarty so valuable. This is why even after drafting Cook it was a slow progress for him to get a role on the field.
This is another situation where the fit next to Herbert is perfect, and you do not need to spend as much to get the same type of role. It is hard to pass up.
2. Mark Ingram is an old, but good option in free agency
It was only for 10 games last season, but Mark Ingram was flashing a bit of revitalization. Still, like any other back on this list, the main reason he is here is that he will be cheaper than David Montgomery. In the case of Mark Ingram, he will be the cheapest back on the list.
Still, he is the most experienced. One thing that would help is to bring in some guys from a winning culture. From the Saints to the Ravens, Ingram has been in big games, and some of the young guys could value seeing him go to work at age 34.
Beyond that, as we mentioned, Ingram does everything that the role requires. He was one of the best pass protection backs in the NFL last season. It was maddening to fantasy owners to see him on passing downs over Alvin Kamara, but it is because Ingram knows his assignment. Then, we also remember that he is a goal-line threat and a chain mover in the short-yardage downs.
This is the perfect player to complement Khalil Herbert. In this case, they would specifically limit Ingram to those downs, to keep him healthy. Herbert would be in for a big role, and they would trust him more than a 50/50 split. This is the most cost effective situaton, so it has to be monitored.
1. Is Samaje Perine everything the Chicago Bears want?
Quietly an underlying storyline from the Bengals’ playoff run was that they were giving Samaje Perine more playing time than Joe Mixon. What was the reason? You guessed it, pass protection. Without the healthy offensive line in Cincy, they needed Perine to take some big hits in the A-gap, and he delivered.
If Perine is a good enough complement to Joe Mixon, he could be more than that with Khalil Herbert. Still, he brings the punch that Herbert lacks, both in pass protection and near the goal line. Perine is also a great pass catcher. He hauled in 38 passes for 287 yards last season.
He catches passes, pass blocks, and converts the short-yardage stuff. Okay, he lacks the big play juice, but the Chicago Bears have a running back nicknamed juice.
The Chicago Bears really should offer Montgomery a deal no bigger than Perine. It may insult Montgomery, but if all they need is someone with the skill set of Perine, and he will sign for a few million fewer then these decisions are not tough at all.