Not many Chicago Bears fans thought that running back Salvon Ahmed was going to come into training camp and take the NFL world by storm, but he has certainly done that.
Ahmed wasn't really considered to be in the running for the RB3 job when training camp began. He was seen as just a camp body with a chance to possibly make the practice squad or get game tape to land on another team.
After what happened in the preseason, the Bears now face one choice Ahmed has forced on them: keep him. They have no choice.
Bears might have to keep Salvon Ahmed on the 53-man roster
The buzz around Ahmed really began when Kyle Monangai got injured early in training camp, which gave Ahmed reps at RB2 with Roschon Johnson. It was Ahmedwas making highlight plays and drawing attention from Bears reporters.
Then came Week 1 of the preseason against the Cleveland Browns. Ahmed took a simple screen pass from Case Keenum and turned it into a 49-yard touchdown catch, helping Chicago pick up a 34-10 win.
Through two preseason games, Ahmed has rushed for 53 yards and added another 69 yards and a touchdown receiving. He's second on the team in rushing and third in receiving.
It has certainly backed the Bears into a corner, forcing them to make tough roster decisions. Johnson has played well, but Ahmed has shown better vision and the ability to create big plays, while Johnson is more of a power back.
With Monangai looking unlikely to return for the Bears' Week 1 showdown against the Carolina Panthers, Ahmed and Johnson might both make the team and could fight for the backup job. Until then, the two are trying to figure out who will be the third-string back on the roster.
If Bears fans had their choice, they would probably take Ahmed because of his speed and versatility out of the backfield. He needs to stay healthy, though, which was a big problem for him with the Miami Dolphins.
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The Bears need to decide what to do. They probably won't decide until the last second, so they have all the notes they need. Ahmed has made this decision as difficult as possible for the Bears because he has more than earned his spot on the team. Anything less than him being on the 53-man roster would be a shock to Bears fans.
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