The Chicago Bears don’t have a ton of question marks at most positions this year. Obviously quarterback is a big one but tight end and wide receiver both seem to have strong options in place. However, it seems that running back becomes more and more of a concern as the days pass. That was made even clearer when David Montgomery suffered a groin injury during practice last week.
This team hasn’t had a featured ball carrier who can averaged more than four yards per carry for the past two years. Given the uncertainty at quarterback, being able to run the football feels like an absolute must for the Bears. Now with Montgomery hobbled, they’re left to names like Tarik Cohen, Ryan Nall, and Artavis Pierce to pick up the slack.
Not the most inspiring group. Luckily a possible solution just became available. After months of seeking trade partners, the Jacksonville Jaguars parted ways with former #4 overall pick Leonard Fournette. Despite rushing for over 1,000 yards in two of the past three seasons, the player became too much of a burden for them to keep.
If the Bears are searching for that bell cow back, this is their guy.
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Chicago Bears would be gambling on Fournette for sure
It seems strange doesn’t it? Fournette is coming off the best season of his career with 1,152 yards rushing, 522 receiving, and three touchdowns. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry despite playing behind a rather bad offensive line. Why would the Jaguars be so willing to send him on his way? Namely a series of disagreements with the organization. Ones that earned him a reputation for being a malcontent.
This makes him somewhat of a gamble. The Bears obviously don’t want somebody like that in their locker room. So the question is this. Was the cancerous Jacksonville culture, one that saw other players like Jalen Ramsey and Yannick Ngakoue force their ways out of town, mostly to blame? It’s certainly possible. Fournette can’t avoid that stigma though. He’ll have to sell teams that he can be on his best behavior.
Will Chicago explore this idea? That’s hard to say. They love Montgomery but his groin issue throws a wrench in their plans. Fournette is more than good enough to handle a full workload and he has ties to their coaching staff. John DeFilippo, their quarterbacks coach, was his offensive coordinator in Jacksonville last season. Something to keep an eye on.