Credit is due to Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles and new head coach Ben Johnson for the work they did on the roster to improve it from the 5-12 team of 2024. That doesn't mean there aren't positions of concern for the Bears entering the 2025 season.
ESPN NFL analyst Mike Clay collaborated with Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder on an article examining the best rosters in the NFL. They named the Bears as the 15th best in the league, with Clay pointing out the one weak point to the roster: running back.
"The Chicago roster is in pretty darn good shape, so this is more about that and less about what is a passable running back situation. D'Andre Swift was busy in his first season in Chicago, finishing top 10 in snaps, carries and routes, though he was limited to six touchdowns and averaged a career-low 3.79 yards per carry. Roschon Johnson (3.7 yards per carry on 136 carries, 5.0 yards per target on 63 targets) is the primary backup and could be pushed by seventh-round flier Kyle Monangai."
How much of a weakness is the Bears' running backs in 2025?
Swift was brought in last year from Ben Johnson's old team, the Detroit Lions, to be the difference-maker in the backfield. He produced one of the worst seasons of his career with a decent 959 yards, but averaged a career-low 3.8 yards per carry (the only time he has gone under four yards a carry in his career).
The truth about Roschon Johnson is that he just didn't get enough touches in 2024. Johnson only had 55 carries for 150 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 2.7 yards per carry, as he was primarily used as a short-yardage back, but lacked the production on each carry.
Despite Monangai being a late-round pick, the expectations are still high for him in Chicago. The Bears are hoping to have a sleeper pick who might eventually become a starter in the next year or two.
Chicago had one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL, averaging only 102 yards per game as a unit. One of the biggest reasons is that the offensive line struggled mightily to open up lanes; however, that has changed with the addition of three new starters on the interior during the offseason.
Similar to all the talk with quarterback Caleb Williams, there are no more excuses. The running backs should have everything they need to succeed.
Swift is reunited with his old offensive coordinator in head coach Ben Johnson, but Johnson and the Lions didn't bring him back in 2023, and there must be a reason for that. Roschon Johnson has not exploded onto the scene like the Bears hoped when they drafted him two years ago. Monangai is developing and growing as a rookie, so it's too much to put on him early.
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It's not the perfect backfield, but there should be enough there to at least get the Bears back in the right direction of what Chicago is best known for on offense: playing hard-nosed football on the ground with bullies on the line.