This week, we are going to hear a whole lot of information around the NFL in regards to offseason plans, chatter and rumors. With the Combine kicking off, the rush of information has started to flood in, and Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles was at the podium early Tuesday morning.
There were a few different topics covered in his short 15 minutes with the media, but one topic rang an alarm for a particular Bears starter on offense.
Last year, running back D'Andre Swift was signed to a 3-year, $24 million deal in free agency. After just one season, it seems as though his role might be in danger.
When answering questions Tuesday, Poles specifically mentioned the "additions we will have" at the running back spot. As one media member put it, it definitely sounds like the Bears' starting running back might not be on the roster.
The Bears could completely reset at the running back position
If the Bears were to cut Swift, they'd save roughly half a million dollars in doing so. However, if they were to somehow, some way, trade Swift, Chicago would save $6.6 million.
A trade seems unlikely, but the Bears should be moving on from him regardless.
Just as we have seen most of Swift's career, nothing changed in 2024. He was exactly the type of player he has always been, and that is a running back who does well if given space and proper blocking.
He excels in the open field. We know that. However, it's easy for a lot of players to excel in the open field. It's easy for a lot of players to look good with proper blocking. But, once Swift got touched by a would-be tackler, he would almost always be as good as down.
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That's the problem, and that's why the Bears need to go a different direction.
Looking at where Ben Johnson just came from, even his more dynamic back in Detroit, Jahmyr Gibbs, was tougher to bring down and excelled at breaking the first tackler on a regular basis. Of course, Bears fans know David Montgomery well and we don't need to highlight what made him a likable running back.
Swift simply doesn't have the traits necessary to run between the tackles unless the offensive line is in pristine shape, and that's not always the case.
This year's running back class is a talented one and, with four picks inside the top 75, the Bears could easily find their starting running back on Days 1 and 2.