The Chicago Bears know that all the new additions they’ve made to their roster won’t be able to elevate this team back to contending status alone. That’s not how it works. This team will need other guys to step up. Specifically ones who might not have reached their potential yet but seem positioned for a big chance to do so. Who will it end up being?
There are some ideas. Anthony Miller looked like he was ready to explode during the second half of last season. Is this the year he becomes that legitimate #2 guy opposite Allen Robinson? Then there’s Bilal Nichols. He was really good his rookie year in 2018 but seemed to hit a sophomore slump last season, due in large part to an untimely hand injury. Maybe this is the season he puts it all together. Then there is Riley Ridley, the promising 4th round pick from 2019 who could see more snaps this year.
However, the general consensus is 2020 should be the year of David Montgomery.
Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report picked the second-year running back as the Bears’ top breakout candidate.
“The Bears have a new quarterback in town in Nick Foles and a pair of new tight ends in veteran Jimmy Graham and rookie Cole Kmet, but this still remains a team with an underwhelming cadre of wide receivers. For the Bears to have success, they need to run the ball. And while Tarik Cohen is still in town, when it comes to the between-the-tackles work it’s all on Montgomery in 2020.
We’ve seen Montgomery play the role of workhorse before—he topped 250 carries during each of his last two seasons at Iowa State. If the Bears are going to even sniff a playoff spot this season, it’s going to take 1,200 yards on the ground from Montgomery—a number that would make fantasy football enthusiasts elated.”
Chicago Bears seem to believe Montgomery is their guy
For his part, Montgomery isn’t planning for those to be just words. He’s putting in a ton of work this offseason, coronavirus be damned. A lot of people think he’s not what the Bears need. A true feature back. Unusual considering he had over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and scored seven touchdowns as a rookie. What people can’t seem to get over was his average 3.7 yards per carry. Anybody who watched the offense last year easily deduce it was less about him and more about awful blocking.
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Montgomery averaged two yards before contact in 2019. This stat shows how long it took defenses to get their hands on him, typically an indicator of good or bad blocking. By contrast, playoff breakout star Raheem Mostert averaged 3.5 yards before contact. All-Pro Christian McCaffrey averaged three. Individual talent is only part of the equation when running the football. Guys still need lanes to run through.
Montgomery didn’t have enough of them. Yet he still managed 889 yards on the ground. Almost half of them after contact. This is why the Bears seem confident in him. If they can improve the blocking, his star could rise rapidly.
