Going into, during, and after the NFL Draft, the running back position has been a key discussion point with the Chicago Bears.
General manager Ryan Poles couldn’t move up in the draft to take Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty or Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson. So, Poles listened to the team’s big board and waited until the seventh round to select Rutgers’ Kyle Monangai.
Poles joined the Kap & J.Hood show on ESPN1000 on Thursday morning, and the Bears’ general manager was asked what the running back room looks like now and in the future.
“It’s a good room,” Poles said. “I’m really excited about Eric Bieniemy being here as well in terms of, obviously, I’ve been with him, but there is a long track record of development and his ability to raise the level of play for that room, so we’re really excited about him.”
Poles also mentioned the upgrades on the offensive line will allow people to feel the impact it has on the running backs and how they perform. Then Poles highlighted one of his playmakers that he is looking forward to watching this season.
“Roschon (Johnson), really looking forward to him playing a physical brand of football that we know he has,” he said. “I think kind of that role was a little bit out of whack last year. I think he is going to have a little bit more of a physical role for us.”
Maybe not the name people were expecting, but Johnson, to Poles’ point, did play in a role that was “out of whack.” Everyone remembers Week 8’s infamous game against the Commanders for the Hail Mary, but the Bears wouldn’t have been in that situation had they taken care of the football late in the fourth quarter.
On third-and-goal from Washington’s 1-yard line, Johnson lined up in the backfield, and in front of him was Doug Kramer. Johnson flared out to the right, and Caleb Williams handed the ball to Kramer. The ball ended up on the ground, and the Commanders recovered.
But it wasn’t just that play that reinforced Poles’ comment. Johnson played just 66 offensive snaps last season, a dip from his rookie year (124 snaps). The former fourth-round pick out of Texas did sustain a concussion in Week 13 and missed two games before returning, but his usage wasn’t consistent.
The most offensive snaps Johnson played in a game was Week 11 against Green Bay with 12. He also had 10 carries for 33 yards a touchdown in that game. In the final four games he played, excluding the game he left with a concussion, Johnson played 11 offensive snaps in four games.
Johnson does provide a different running style than D’Andre Swift, and that could be the change of pace head coach Ben Johnson is looking for in the running back room.
After Poles mentioned Roschon Johnson, he talked about some of the other running backs on the team.
“And then we have a young group behind them that’s coming along,” Poles said. “(Ian) Wheeler was doing some really good things last year, and he has a high level of speed. And then Kyle, he's going to come in and he’s a physical runner and looking forward to him to develop and see where he lands on the depth chart as we go through training camp.”
Poles was also asked in the interview on ESPN 1000 about Nick Chubb, and if he pays attention to any workout videos that players post during this point in the offseason. Poles said he doesn’t, but did mention how the team scouts free-agent talent.
“We have a great pro staff that’s led by Jeff King, and we have a short list that we’re looking at,” Poles said. “Guys that are available. We always, again, stay opportunistic there and have conversations internally if this move is going to be the right move for us, is there a fit, and we’ll continue to have those conversations as we go. I know we really want to get this coaching staff with the players that we have to see if they believe that they can help us, but again, we’ll always keep our eye on the short list if we need to bring someone in to come in and create competition and see if we can raise the level of talent in that room.”
For now, it sounds like the Bears will roll with who they have at the running back position, and Roschon Johnson is someone the team is excited to watch as he enters his third year in the NFL.