Bear Digest

Bears Running Back Group Rates Among NFL's Best Says Insider

Analysis: It's not exactly the age of the running back in the NFL but at least one insider thinks the Bears have a group of rushing threats ranked in the top three.

Gene Chamberlain

Roschon Johnson's potential has barely been touched and combined with Khalil Herbert and D'Andre Swift the Bears backfield looks dangerous.
Roschon Johnson's potential has barely been touched and combined with Khalil Herbert and D'Andre Swift the Bears backfield looks dangerous. / Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

From the way national media fawns over the Bears receiver grouping with quarterback Caleb Williams, there may never be another handoff.

Of course, the running game is still important even in an age when Spotrac.com says teams spend less for running backs than any other position except kicker, punter and long snapper.

If the Bears really do try to strike a balance, they are almost as well off in the running game as in the passing game according to at least one national analyst.

Pro Football Focus' Mike Florio and NBC's Chris Simms put out their top backfield groups in the league and differed greatly at the top. Florio has the Bears group of D'Andre Swift, Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson behind only the San Francisco 49ers and just ahead of the Eagles' Saquon Barkley and Kenneth Gainwell. The Eagles apparently just need two backs considering they have Barkley.

The ranking drew plenty of social media criticism from all sides, especially Lions fans.

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Simms' ranking doesn't have the Bears in the top three at all but does have Green Bay's Josh Jacobs, AJ Dillon and MarShawn Lloyd ranked No. 2 behind Miami's Raheem Mostert, De'Von Achane and Jaylen Wright.

The group the Bears have includes Herbert, who led all running backs with more than 100 carries in yards per carry in 2022 (5.7) and averages 4.9 for his career, and all-purpose back Swift, as well as power back/blocker/receiver Johnson.

Whether they're No. 1 is difficult to ascertain. Swift's status is based largely on one very good season in Detroit in 2022. Herbert produces but also has had injury issues two straight seasons. Johnson is just starting to realize what he can do and the Bears are starting to realize what he can do, as well.

Because the Packers have Jacobs, who once led the NFL in rushing, and Caleb Williams' explosive former teammate Lloyd, they have a dangerous group. Dillon had to settle for a contract paying him $2.7 million per year, making him the 29th highest paid back and he is no longer on his rookie contract.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.