Chicago Bears new coaching staff looks to keep the running game going

The Chicago Bears have been looking to upgrade the coaching staff this offseason. The team has hired new coordinators among a plethora of new position coaches. However, the Bears have made history in their 104-year history, hiring their first female coach for the first time.

Jennifer King, was the former Washington Commanders Assistant running backs coach from 2021-2023 and will work alongside newly hired Running Backs Coach Chad Morton, the former Seattle Seahawks Running Backs Coach from 2017-2023.

Morton led and Seattle's ground game has given a great start to Kenneth Walkers III’s career, with Walker totaling just under 2,000 rushing yards in his first two seasons while averaging over 4.4 yards per carry. Seattle also saw positive production by rookie Zach Charbonnet this past season averaging 4.2 yards per carry while backing up Walker.

King led a Commander's run game that had the seventh-highest yards per carry in 2023 despite having an offensive line that allowed the second-most sacks in the league. With Brian Robsinson Jr and Antonio Gibson leading the way for the Commanders.

A big reason for Chicago’s success on the ground has come from quarterback Justin Fields, who compiled 2,220 rushing yards in only 40 games dating back to his debut in 2021. With Chicago’s starting quarterback in question, they’ll need all of the help they can get in the run game if a less run-centric quarterback takes over under center this September.

King and Morton will be working with an offense that was second in the league in total rushing in 2023 and first in rushing in 2022, despite the team's overall struggles during these last two seasons. The Bears currently have a deep running back room with Khalil Herbert, Roshcon Johnson, and D’Onta Foreman leading the way, where the three of them averaged about 4.3 yards per carry this past season.

A consistent run game has been important to some of Chicago’s short-term successes on offense over the last two years, and they look to keep that momentum going as they try to make a playoff push in 2024.