Losing Kyle Monangai hurts the Chicago Bears at running back. He is a vital part of the machine head coach Ben Johnson has created alongside D’Andre Swift. Unfortunately, turf toe has sidelined him from the big game at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers. That means the Bears had to reconfigure the depth chart. Usually, in these situations, the team has chosen to promote from within. That was no different this time, as they decided to elevate someone from the practice squad. However, it wasn’t the one most expected.
Salvon Ahmed was one of the top performers of the preseason for the Bears in August. He made some big plays for the team. It wouldn’t be at all surprising if he were the one the team promoted. Instead, Johnson and the coaches pulled a surprise. Second-year running back Zavier Scott got the nod instead. Minnesota waived the former undrafted free agent on August 30th. Chicago scooped him up on their practice squad the next day. So what would compel them to go with him over Ahmed?
The Chicago Bears like versatility.
Scott is massive for his position at 6’1″ and 221 lbs. However, his style of play seems to work in complete contrast to that. He’s remarkably capable as a receiver out of the backfield, showing good hands and sneaky solid route-running. He had 43 yards and a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. As a runner, there are certain traits that fit what the Bears like to do. They are an outside-zone team. For that, you need backs with good vision who can see and hit lanes. Scott is often at his best in those situations.
He also plays up to his size. Scott runs with power and determination, rarely going down on the first tackle attempt. Though he only averaged 3.6 yards per carry last season for Minnesota, he made defenders work for it. Of the 114 yards he rushed for, 95 came after contact. Last but certainly not least, Scott is an active presence on special teams. He logged 78 snaps on kick and punt coverage last year as a rookie and made three tackles. The Bears can always use players like that.
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This comes down to usefulness.
While it’s true Ahmed was a capable runner and receiver in the preseason, that is the extent of his worth. He is not a special teams guy and offers little help as a blocker. Scott can do all of those things. That’s the old saying about the NFL. The more things you can offer to a team, the more likely it is that you play on Sunday. There is also a strong probability that the Bears wanted insurance for Roschon Johnson. The longtime backup has a history of health issues. Were he to get hurt, they’d want somebody ready to step in with a similar build.
It will be interesting to see how much work Scott gets in this game. Swift figures to get a heavy workload with Monangai out. Johnson will be more of a short-yardage guy. Then again, this head coach loves to throw curveballs at you. Don’t be surprised if Scott gets worked into some plays at some point. He’s been with the Chicago Bears long enough to have at least a decent understanding of the system.
