Swift, Johnson, Monangai… and Edwards? Bears’ RB competition heating up

Gary Vasquez - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · 4 hours ago

It's hard to believe that in one week, Chicago Bears football will be here as NFL training camps get underway. For the Bears, this has been an offseason filled with excitement as there is plenty of anticipation leading into this season. Credit new Head Coach Ben Johnson and his staff for that, as they have not only brought a renewed sense of excitement to the Bears organization, but have also instilled the toughness factor that seemed to be non-existent under the previous coaching staff.

When you look at the Bears' roster from top to bottom, it's hard to argue that they could be the most improved team in the entire NFC. From the trades they made to improve the offensive line, the free agents they picked up across the board, and the underappreciated draft, Chicago is poised to not only make some noise this season, but to compete with anyone on the field.

However, as we inch closer to training camp, the Bears' roster still has some holes they would like to address, and unless those holes are filled on the open market, it could come down to competition, as the players who perform the best will win those jobs. One of the areas in question for this team is what they plan to do at backup running back, as the Bears need to give D'Andre Swift some help.

As things currently stand, both Roschon Johnson and rookie Kyle Monangai are expected to split the carries during camp and most likely throughout the preseason. The one who does the best with the reps they are given will most likely earn the backup running back role, and it does appear that Monangai is the favorite right now, given what he has shown this summer.

However, with so many valuable running back assets still on the open market, you could see a scenario where the Bears bring one of them in as they try to create their own version of Sonic and Knuckles in Chicago. One of the free-agent running backs to keep an eye on is former Ravens and Chargers running back Gus Edwards, who is looking to prove he still has something left to give in this league.

The recently turned 30-year-old has been around the league for a while, filling the role of backup running back for most of his career, but has seen spurts where he has been the primary option due to injuries. Ever since Johnson arrived at the Bears' facility, you get a sense of how his coaching will be as he encourages competition from the top down.

Adding a guy like Edwards would not only give competition to Johnson and Monangai, but it would also push Swift to be the best version of himself. While Swift is known more for his speed and open-field elusiveness, Edwards is what you call a bruising back and would bring a nice physical presence to the Bears backfield.

He’s big and physical and can create yards after contact. The Bears won’t keep more than four running backs, so you would think that one of those four backs would get cut or, at the very least, move to special teams. Johnson could be the safe bet there, knowing his limitations on offense, but that's a problem for another day.

After going undrafted in 2018, Edwards latched on with the Ravens and immediately proved he could be a bruising back in this league. In his rookie season, he finished with 718 yards on 137 carries (that’s 5.2 yards per carry) with two touchdowns. Over the next two years, he remained consistent—711 yards (5.3 YPC) in 2019 and 723 yards with six rushing TDs in 2020 as he continued to prove he was one of the better backup backs in the game.

Following the 2020 season, things were a rough go for Edwards, who not only tore his ACL in 2021 but also played just nine games in 2022, accumulating less than 500 yards that season. Many felt his career was hanging in the balance after those years, only to have him sign with the Chargers in 2023 and proceed to have his best season yet.

With JK Dobbins going down with an injury that season, Edwards took over as the primary back and went on to post career-high numbers across the board. He finished 2023 with 810 yards and a career-high 13 rushing TDs, also hauling in 12 passes for 180 yards. The 13 touchdowns stand out, as he became an instant red zone threat, which is something the Bears could use.

Last season, Edwards had a reduced role compared to past seasons, but much of that was due to Dobbins being fully healthy again. Still, Edwards managed to finish with 365 yards and four touchdowns in 11 games (six starts). That puts him at 3,760 rushing yards on 800 carries (4.7 YPC) with 30 touchdowns, also snagging 33 catches for 380 yards across his six NFL seasons.

Still searching for a home, the six-foot, 225-pounder would be an excellent fit for this team as he offers a much different style than Swift does. Not only that, but Johnson has consistently excelled with a two-back system and achieved significant success with Jamaal Williams, who is a similar back to Edwards. Don't expect the price tag for Edwards to be too high either, as he should be available for $4 million or less, which plays right into the Bears' hands.