Chicago Bears draft perfect fit at running back with Roschon Johnson

The Chicago Bears were clear about going with a running back by committee. They were not going to invest heavily in the position, but they still wanted to have a solid group of compliments. That is exactly what they are doing by drafting Texas running back Roschon Johnson.

Chicago Bears Draft Texas Running Back Roschon Johnson

The Chicago Bears added D'Onta Foreman and Travis Homer as part of the committee. The reason was that they both had skills that Khalil Herbert did not. Herbert is a speed back and a big play hitter, but he struggles with power between the tackles, and is limited in the passing game.

So, they added Foreman, who is more of a power runner, and Travis Homer, who is one of the best pass protection backs in the NFL, and also a solid pass catcher. This made sense, but it is obviously a bit of a giveaway when you have three backs with such defined skill sets. This is why the Chicago Bears adding Roschon Johnson is so intriguing.

Johnson was essentially the guy who did the dirty work for Bijan Robinson. Robinson would be the big playback and got the majority of the carries. However, the Texas Longhorns did not want to waste his precious snaps on those power snaps where he just plows into a pile. They also do not want to see Bijan Robinson waste his shoulders in pass protection when he is such a good pass catcher.

So, the Longhorns would put in Johnson for the fourth and short and goal line type of snaps. Then, they would let Johnson pass protect. Johnson is a former quarterback, and his pass protection skills show as he is great at picking up blitzes and understanding angles.

Beyond that, he has the adequate size needed to push the pile. He also is not the player who will kick runs outside, he would rather put his shoulder down and look for one or two more yards. With Herbert seeking the big play, this is the best compliment that you can draw up.

The topper is that Johnson played all phases of special teams at Texas, and this makes him a roster lock.

The Chicago Bears could have rolled with a three-back committee, but it feels like they just drafted a combination of Foreman and Homer with this pick. At the least, they can get the best of both skill sets without giving away what they are doing thanks to Roschon Johnson.