3 position battles to keep an eye on in the Chicago Bears preseason finale against Buffalo
The entire Chicago Bears running back room is vying for position
The Bears have been linked to Jonathan Taylor since he was granted permission to seek a trade. However, it is tough to see why that is the case. Chicago might not have any household names at the position, but their running back room is absolutely loaded.
With their current backfield depth, the Bears would be wise to take a page out of Bill Belichick's book and go with a full-blown committee at running back. However, snaps are never split down the middle, as there is always a lead back getting the brunt of the work even in the tightest competitions.
Khalil Herbert will get the first crack at early down work after he led all running backs with 5.7 yards-per-carry last season. However, his ability to hold his own in the blocking game and catch passes out of the backfield leaves an awful lot to be desired. If he continues to impress with his touches, the lead-back position could be his for the foreseeable future.
D'Onta Foreman is coming off a season in which he nearly put up 1,000 yards despite only starting nine games. He is more of a one-trick pony than Herbert, but the trick that he can do... he does well. The 235-pounder is a hard-nosed runner who is, for the lack of a better term, a bear to bring down in the open field.
Fourth-round selection Roschon Johnson has a case for being the most well-rounded player in Chicago's backfield. Unlike either of the two backs mentioned above, he has the potential to become an elite pass-blocker out of the backfield. Johnson is great at squaring his shoulders and delivering a blow to oncoming defenders. On top of being a great blocker, Johnson also has reliable hands, so it would not be surprising to see him get third-down duties at the very least.
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Each back will be playing against the Bills, their last chance to make a solid impression ahead of Week One. It remains to be seen how they will divvy up the snaps early in the year, but their performance could be especially important if they go with the hot-hand approach.