Lesson learned from Detroit Lions may help Chicago Bears in free agency

The Detroit Lions had the last laugh after they were mocked last off-season when they drafted former Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft after signing former Chicago Bears running back David Montgomery.

There was interest from the Bears in bringing back Montgomery, but the running back chose more guaranteed money with the Lions, along with a chance at a playoff run.

The combination of Gibbs and Montgomery is a large part of why the Lions were one win away from reaching the Super Bowl this past season. The Lions' success in the backfield last season may be due to the team being ahead of the curve, and it's possible the Bears may be ready to follow suit.

In their reset of where things stand with the Bears after the NFL Scouting Combine last week, Adam Jahns and Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic (Subscription Required) noted that one position the Bears may be planning to target in free agency is running back.

Former New York Giants superstar Saquon Barkley sits at the top of the free-agent market for running backs but it's a class that also includes Austin Ekeler, Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard, and D'Andre Swift.

The Chicago Bears could be in the market for a running back upgrade this off-season.

If the Bears are moving in a direction that will include a rookie as their starting quarterback in 2024, the team will likely want to create a wide safety net at the skill positions.

The running back position disappointed the Bears last season, given the struggle that Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson had with staying healthy. While veteran D'Onta Foreman was a focal point of the Bears' offense while Justin Fields was sidelined, the relationship between Foreman and the Bears may have been strained by the end of the season.

Regardless of who the quarterback is next season, the Bears need more stability out of the running back position. Spending heavily on the position is often a fruitless exercise but the Bears have the resources to pull off a similar move to what the Lions did last Spring.

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