How the Chicago Bears can control the running back market in 2023

After being drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, David Montgomery finds himself as an impending free agent early in the 2023 offseason. In four seasons with Chicago, the Iowa State product accumulated nearly 4,850 total yards and exactly 30 total touchdowns under his rookie contract. That puts Montgomery in the top 20 all-purpose yardage leaders since 2019, as well as a top 10 rusher in that time period.

However, now, with Montgomery closing out his rookie deal, Ryan Poles and Ian Cunningham need to decide on how to handle the running back position. Do they bring David Montgomery back? Do they hand the reins over to Khalil Herbert who showed how explosive he can be at times? Is Trestan Ebner even in the team’s vision for the future outside of a role player and special-teamer? As you can see, there are plenty of options here.

What will the Chicago Bears do at the running back position?

The only downside we might see is if teams look to franchise tag their own running backs and the top names don’t even hit free agency. I think a few will squeak through, but it is possible that one or two names are scratched off the Chicago Bears board before they even have a chance to sit down and negotiate. Teams could also re-sign their own players before free agency opens on March 15, 2023 (the legal-tampering period begins March 13).

Let’s take a look at how the Chicago Bears can somewhat control the running back market in 2023.