Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai proved to everyone last season that draft status doesn't mean a thing.
The former seventh-round draft pick from Rutgers ran for 783 yards and five touchdowns on 169 attempts. Despite 21 running backs being drafted ahead of Monangai, he finished fifth in yards among his 2025 classmates.
With Monangai entering his second NFL season in head coach Ben Johnson's offense, the 5-foot-8, 207-pound running back is primed to exceed his production from last season. Unlike last year, Monangai has familiarity with Johnson's system. Like all positions, the less a player has to think, the faster he can play. That's exactly the position Monangai finds himself in this season.
Kyle Monangai looking to improve with Bears entering Year 2
What also helps is having one of the best offensive lines in front of him. The Bears made Darnell Wright the highest-paid right tackle in NFL history. Monangai shared what it's like running behind a player like Wright.
“Easy, because he moves whatever’s in front of him," Monangai said. "He makes it very easy, a lot of the guys up front do. It’s not just him, but I’ll talk about him because you mentioned him, he does a great job. We all heard the news about the recent signing. No one’s more deserving. Him as well as the other guys up front, they just do a great job of making me and [D'Andre] Swift and the rest of the guys in the room have a peace of mind knowing they’re going to do their job.”
As Monangai mentioned, it isn't just Wright but the entire offensive line that gives the Bears' backfield peace of mind as they run the football.
And running the football is at the foundation of what Johnson loves to do as an offensive play caller. Even though the Bears have plenty of pass-catching options in Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Colston Loveland, Kalif Raymond and Cole Kmet, the Bears' head coach will not abandon his run game.
Offensive coordinator Press Taylor highlighted how Johnson views the rushing attack.
“I would tell you, I don't think Ben's ever mentioned the word efficiency," Taylor said. "We talk about explosive. I mean, we were trying to attack a defense. I think there's a perception a lot of people are going to run the ball, we're going to stay efficient, we're going to control the clock. We are looking to attack a defense. We're looking to attack fronts, to expose space, to create run lanes, to create explosives. I mean, we don't look at the run game as a way to stay on track. We look at the run game as a way to attack defenses and really be explosive and continue to just put our foot on the gas the entire game.”
Read more: Bears fans want to be woken up from Coby Bryant nightmare after latest update
Monangai is in the perfect situation to continue his overall development. He has a productive partner in Swift to keep him fresh, a play caller who loves to run the ball, and a talented offensive line. These factors should provide plenty of opportunities for Monangai to continue where he left off last season, as a reliable, productive player in this Bears offense.
Add us as a preferred source on Google