Ranking 5 best offseason moves by Chicago Bears

Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
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Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

1. Chicago Bears saved and improved at running back

The Chicago Bears let go of a fan favorite in David Montgomery. It had fans saying that Ryan Poles is cheap and does not know what he is doing. It took Montgomery being on the Lions for about a week to change Bears fans' tune on him.

Beyond that, how can Bears fans be made about what happened to Montgomery, when he redid the room as impressively as he did?

First, he signed D'onta Foreman and Travis Homer. They combined to make less than $4M per year and are perfect fits next to Khalil Herbert. Foreman has more explosion than Montgomery, but can take the power carries, while Travis Homer is a better pass catcher and pass protector.

On top of that, they added Roschon Johnson in the 2023 NFL draft. Roschon Johnson is a strong combination of power and pass-catching, and he could eventually step in as a combination of Homer and Foreman. When you add in the speed of Khalil Herbert, the room is a perfect group of complementary pieces.

What makes it impressive is the cost. On a per-year basis, the Chicago Bears will be paying these four a combined $5.2M, while David Montgomery signed a three-year deal worth $18M, so he will be making $6M per year.

In terms of first-year cap hits, the Chicago Bears are paying slightly more this year, but for the next two years, it is not close, the Lions are paying more for Montgomery than the four Chicago Bears runners combined.

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Being able to assemble such a talented and diverse group at a cost that is better than signing a fan favorite in Montgomery should be commended. Thanks to these decisions, he has the team in a much better spot from now on.