The draft didn’t go as planned for the Chicago Bears, at least according to fans. They had been expecting a big swing at running back. New head coach Ben Johnson built his highly successful offense on the ground game. D’Andre Swift isn’t a true workhorse type that can carry a full load. They had to find somebody to pair with him. Ashton Jeanty was the apple of their eyes. He went to Las Vegas. Omarion Hampton? TreVeyon Henderson? Both went before the Bears selected again in the 2nd round. After that, the team just never managed to catch a break on the board, resorting to a 7th round pick for Kyle Monangai. Those shortcomings are what led to the discussions of Nick Chubb.
The former Pro Bowler had an outstanding run in Cleveland over the past several years before a horrific knee injury ended his 2023 season. When he finally returned last year, he never looked quite right. Still, it is believed he should be mostly healthy now. Speculation is already rampant that Chicago is interested. However, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune believes a different name is the one to watch.
Chubb turns 30 in December and has been a high-volume player with 1,340 NFL carries. His best days are behind him, and because of his age and the severity of the knee injury, I’m not sure he’s the fit the Bears would be seeking if they’re in the market for a back.
(J.K.) Dobbins, who is three years younger than Chubb, would make more sense. He has had health issues, too, with two knee injuries and an Achilles injury limiting him to nine games over three seasons from 2021 to 2023. However, he played in 13 games for the Los Angeles Chargers last season and carried 195 times for 905 yards (4.6 average) with nine touchdowns. He’s also more versatile out of the backfield than Chubb.
Dobbins offers the same problems as Nick Chubb.
He does have the advantage of being three years younger. However, his health has been a constant question mark for years. Dobbins tore his ACL in 2021 and his Achilles in 2023. A knee injury last year also knocked him out for a full month. Reliability isn’t his biggest selling point. The truth is, both he and Nick Chubb are available for a reason. Teams know each has durability concerns and likely aren’t the players they were a few years ago. It comes down to whether anybody thinks they might have one more good year in them. The Bears will likely spend the next two months getting a feel for what they have on the roster. If the depth chart lacks something, Chubb or somebody else will get the call.
