The Chicago Bears high octane offense has been a joy to watch all season.
Make no mistake, new head coach Ben Johnson has turned things around in the Windy City. If the Bears want to continue their success on the offensive side of the ball in the playoffs, they should consider incorporating a fullback into the mix.
The Bears would be smart to bring back fullbacks to the offense
The last time the Chicago Bears carried a fullback on a weekly basis was Khari Blasingame, who turned out to be a reliable blocker for the Bears in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. During this span, the Bears put together one of the fiercest rushing attacks in the league, accumulating a league-leading 3,014 rushing yards in 2022, per StatMuse.
Obviously, it goes without saying that the Bears' run game doesn't need any help at the current moment. Behind a revamped offensive line and with an efficient blocking scheme, the Bears continue to boast one of the best run games in the league, finishing third in the league with 2,456 rushing yards. With running backs D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai, the run game has become the Bears' lifeline.
This is why bringing back the fullback is crucial as the Bears head into the playoffs for the first time in six years. In cold-weather football games, and there will be a lot of them since the Bears locked up the second seed and will have two home playoff games, it's crucial to win at the basics, like running the football and playing great defense. Adding a fullback into the mix will make things easier for the entire offense. Imagine how much more Swift and Monangai would be able to accomplish with a solid fullback leading the way? This is something we'd love to see during a snow-filled playoff game at Soldier Field.
Some of the NFL's perennial contenders had a fullback on their roster. The San Francisco 49ers have utilized Kyle Juszczyk for years. The Tom Brady-Bill Belichick New England Patriots always had a trusted fullback. And, of course, how could we forget William "The Refrigerator" Perry from the 1985 Bears?
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The fullbacks are ingrained in the culture of the Chicago Bears. Why not bring it back? If this is a change the Bears end up making, they could re-sign Khari Blasingame or use a player already on the roster, such as defensive tackle Andrew Billings or tight end Cole Kmet.