Much has been made about the Chicago Bears' lack of focus on the running back position, this offseason.
Does head coach Ben Johnson really have that much faith in veteran D'Andre Swift?
Is rookie seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai the next Isiah Pacheco?
Does Roschon Johnson finally see a legitimate shot at becoming a focal point?
Or, do the Bears still have another trick hiding up their sleeve?
Nick Chubb is a strong option for the Bears, but he's not the only one
Bears fans have been chatty about the potential of bringing in former Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb, who remains a free agent. After all, he looks as though he's put that catastrophic knee injury behind him.
At least, that's what his latest message tells us.
Even still, the Bears have yet another option hanging out on the free agent market that could warrant a shot.
Former Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins is still without a job. Although the Chargers could match any deal offered to Dobbins, that doesn't guarantee they will.
Los Angeles just drafted Omarion Hampton after signing Najee Harris in free agency, so that ship seems to have sailed. But, the Bears, on the other hand, could very well take their chances.
Maybe they don't see Johnson as an answer. Maybe, they don't see Swift as an answer. Both could be true, with Monangai sticking around as a possible long-term option.
Regardless, Dobbins returned to form last year after posting nearly 1,000 yards in 13 games for the Bolts. He looked much like his old self before major injuries set him back in Baltimore.
That's the big question with Dobbins, though. His health has always been a question. Over the past three seasons, he has missed 29 games due to injury. That's cause for concern.
However, if the Bears wanted to take a high-ceiling risk by offering him an incentive-laiden deal, Dobbins could explode in this offense. Giving the room some legitimate competition throughout the summer months would be a whole lot of fun to watch.
Plus, it's only going to be a positive all around. The passing game should be much better, in theory, after the Bears revamped the offensive line and added even more weaponry via the draft. This is only going to open things up for the run game.
The Ben Johnson offense loves using multiple running backs, too, so the competition would be fierce; not just for the "starting" position, but for the no. 2 role as well.