When Ben Johnson ran the Detroit Lions offense, he managed to build one of the NFL’s best rushing attacks. It came from combining the talents of 1st round pick Jahmyr Gibbs and free agent signing David Montgomery of the Chicago Bears. It was a beautiful blending of styles. Gibbs provided the explosive plays while Montgomery moved the chains and scored in goal-to-go situations. Stopping it became almost impossible for opposing defenses. So it shouldn’t be shocking that Johnson may want to try building something similar with the Chicago Bears.
He had great success with the duo of D’Andre Swift and rookie Kyle Monangai last year. However, the former is a free agent after this season. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Bears are looking into running backs in the upcoming draft. Finding his next Montgomery is certainly a goal. News broke that Kentucky standout Seth McGowan was having a private visit with the Bears at Halas Hall this week. It doesn’t take long to realize that he brings the same traits to the table that Montgomery did.
Ben Johnson having interest in McGowan is on-brand.
If there is one thing we know about the Bears’ head coach, it is that he likes violent runners with good vision and a nose for the end zone. McGowan checks those boxes. Despite having to share carries last season with two other teammates, he still managed to score 12 touchdowns. Nobody else on the team had more than four. His talent is obvious. When watching him, you see vision, patience, and an unwillingness to go down on first contact. He’s also a willing pass protector, squaring up against blitzes.
The problems with him come from two directions. One is ball security. He had five fumbles over the past two years. There is also the fact that he missed two years of football because he was arrested and charged with larceny, landing him in jail for three months. He didn’t return until 2023 and has been trying to prove he’s changed. The craziest part is if he’d stayed out of trouble, he and Caleb Williams would’ve been teammates that 2021 season at Oklahoma. It’s weird how the world works.
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The Bears’ intentions seem pretty clear.
Ben Johnson runs an offense that is predicated on the ground game. For that to work, you need two things: an offensive line that can block and a stable of running backs good enough to take advantage of the holes. You know how passing teams tend to invest a draft pick at wide receiver every year? It is the same concept for Johnson, only in this case, he wants to keep adding at running back to ensure the position is always deep with options. Is McGowan the next Montgomery? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t bring anything to the table.
Players who have a keen nose for the end zone tend to carve out long careers in the NFL. Pete Johnson had less than 6,000 yards in eight years in the NFL, but he stuck around because he scored 76 touchdowns. McGowan is that type of player. He won’t give you long runs, but if you need short yardage pickups and goal line ability, he’s your guy. Chicago should have no problem slotting him into a role if they draft him next month, most likely on day three.
