Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has a sharp eye for running backs. He pushed the Detroit Lions to draft Jahmyr Gibbs and sign David Montgomery in 2023. Then last year, he signed off on drafting Kyle Monangai in the 7th round. That proved a highly fruitful decision. Considering the Bears’ offense is geared around running the football, it shouldn’t be surprising that they are intent on adding more to the position. They already had a top 30 visit with Kentucky standout Seth McGowan. Now it’s been revealed they have eyes for another.

Draft insider Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports reported that the team is showing significant interest in Oregon’s Noah Whittington.

Running back Noah Whittington sat on the sidelines, as he has not fully recovered from the turf toe surgery he underwent several weeks ago. Although physically capable, Whittington skipped pro day drills to avoid any setbacks before camp as he is still not 100% recovered from turf toe surgery.

Whittington is getting a lot of interest from the Washington Commanders, Kansas City Chiefs, and Chicago Bears.

Whittington is a fascinating study. He’s spent six seasons in college football, two with Western Kentucky and the rest with Oregon. In that time, he was always productive, but never established himself as a starter. Not once did he ever eclipse 140 carries in a season. Still, he averaged a healthy 5.7 yards per carry in his college career and demonstrated some versatility as a pass catcher. Yet when you watch him play, it’s easy to see why the Bears are interested.

Whittington is built like another Kyle Monangai.

A big reason the Bears’ running back fell to the 7th round was that he was short and an average athlete. Speed was never his game. However, he was still highly productive because he had good vision, contact balance, and a hard-nosed running style. That always translates to the NFL. Whittington is built the same way. He doesn’t have the speed to bounce outside or the ability to create outside of the play design. Still, he is tough to bring down, grinds out extra yards regularly, and is willing to do anything asked of him.

That’s Kyle Monangai in a nutshell. Current projections have Whittington going undrafted. He turns 25 this year and is recovering from turf toe. Teams won’t want to spend draft capital on that. The Bears likely feel he could be a good fit for their offense on the cheap. If going the Monangai type worked once, it couldn’t hurt to try it again. Finding good running backs is far easier in undrafted free agency than other positions. This will be a name to watch if they don’t draft somebody next month.

Kevin Byard only spent two seasons with the Chicago Bears, but the safety left a lasting impression. His efforts helped the team end years of losing in 2025, snagging seven interceptions on the NFL’s best takeaway defense. The Bears finished 11-6, won the division, and beat Green Bay in the wild card round. Sadly, the story has a bittersweet ending. Byard became a free agent last week. Despite hopes of maybe returning for another year, the 33-year-old opted to head east and sign with the New England Patriots.

The roots of his decision had nothing to do with money. From most accounts, the offers were fairly close. In the end, Byard wanted to reunite with Mike Vrabel. The Patriots’ head coach had been a massive influence on his career during their time together in Tennessee from 2018 through 2023. It wasn’t an easy choice. Byard admitted that leaving Chicago was difficult. He knows the organization is on the verge of something big. The primary reason for that is the ascent of quarterback Caleb Williams.

Byard admitted to Jordan Schultz of The Schultz Report that Chicago’s young gun is on the cusp of something special.

Kevin Byard was in a conundrum.

From his vantage point, the Bears’ breakthrough was a sign that they are pushing to legitimate contender status in the near future. Williams established himself as one of the most clutch quarterbacks in football behind seven 4th quarter comebacks with two of the greatest playoff throws in NFL history in back-to-back weeks. Players like that tend to win a ring or two in this league at some point. However, New England had just been to the Super Bowl and had a coach Byard loved. His decision wasn’t all that surprising.

Besides, it was clear the Bears were content moving on. While they adored Kevin Byard as a player and leader, they recognized his ability was fading. The trademark speed he once had wasn’t there anymore. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen wants to get faster on that side of the ball, which is why the Bears signed Coby Bryant in free agency. It was a difficult decision. Giving up somebody who just made All-Pro is dangerous. However, sometimes letting aging players go right before they drop off is the best decision.

It will be interesting to see how the Bears replace Byard.

The fact that they haven’t moved to add another starting safety from free agency tells you the likely plan. They will be drafting a replacement next month. Opinions are high on this safety class, with three names projected to go in the 1st round alone. One of them could be to Chicago. Much depends on whether they want another deep safety like Byard or someone more interchangeable like Bryant. If it’s the former, Bud Clark of TCU and A.J. Haulcy of LSU are the names to watch. If it’s the latter, keep an eye on Emmanuel McNeil-Warren of Toledo and Jalen Gilgore of South Carolina.

Byard will be missed. Players like him are always valuable to the organization, on and off the field. The only regret the Bears have is that they didn’t get him from the start of his career. He would be an all-time Bears legend. Here’s hoping he gets a ring before he retires. Few deserve more. Hopefully, it won’t come at Chicago’s expense. No doubt he will be cheering like crazy if and when Williams gets his own opportunity in the future. There is sure to be fireworks.

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.

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.

The Chicago Bears have actually done a pretty good job with their 1st round picks under general manager Ryan Poles since his arrival in 2022. Darnell Wright is on the cusp of being a Pro Bowler at right tackle. Caleb Williams just finished one of the best seasons in franchise history last year at quarterback. Rome Odunze has flashed tons of playmaking ability despite his frequent health setbacks. Last but not least, Colston Loveland rapidly emerged as a dynamic force on offense as a rookie at tight end.

Now the focus shifts to the 2026 draft. Logically, it seems like the right time for the Bears to shift their focus to defense. The team was 29th last season despite leading the league in turnovers. They need some cornerstone players on that side of the ball. However, there are lingering questions about whether head coach Ben Johnson might divert such ideas. He still needs a left tackle, and the Bears also had to trade away D.J. Moore. Could they look to add a receiver?

Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune doesn’t think that happens. He seemed pretty certain on 104.3 The Score that the Bears are focused on defense with that 25th pick.

The Chicago Bears have tried the bargain route for long enough.

Spending all four of their 1st round picks on offense didn’t stop there for the Bears. They also used two 2nd round picks on offensive players, Luther Burden and Ozzy Trapilo. Defensively, they’ve used a total of five 2nd round picks since Poles arrived four years ago. Jaquan Brisker left in free agency. Kyler Gordon signed an extension, but has health issues. Gervon Dexter has played well the past two years. Tyrique Stevenson was benched for Nahshon Wright last season. Shemar Turner tore his ACL.

Trying to subsist on later picks to build a successful unit, while not impossible, is very difficult. The two best defenses of the Super Bowl era for Chicago were built around 1st round picks. It was Dan Hampton, Otis Wilson, Wilbur Marshall, and William Perry in the 1980s. It was Brian Urlacher and Tommie Harris in the 2000s. Then you had Kyle Fuller, Leonard Floyd, and Roquan Smith in 2018. Despite significant amounts of money and draft picks thrown at the problem to this point, the Bears can’t keep putting off adding 1st round help.

This approach is unusual from Poles’ point of view.

Remember, he came from Kansas City. The Chiefs employed almost the exact opposite strategy during their climb to Super Bowl champions. When Andy Reid, an offensive head coach, took over in 2013, the team took left tackle Eric Fisher #1 overall. After that, their first pick in each of the next three drafts would all be on the defensive side of the ball. It wasn’t a new approach either. Todd Haley, their previous head coach, was also an offensive guy. Despite that, three of the four 1st round picks they made were defenders.

Poles seems to have broken away from that mode of thinking. His goal was to build a foundation for when he eventually took a quarterback. You can’t argue with the results after the offense finished top 10 last season. Still, such an approach will have consequences. The other side of the ball often suffers from a lack of foundational talent. The Chicago Bears are finally ready to start changing that. Using the 25th overall pick is the logical first step. Don’t be surprised if they continue the overall with both 2nd round picks as well.

The Chicago Bears took a considerable hit at linebacker this offseason. Noah Sewell was already out with an Achilles injury. T.J. Edwards broke his leg late last season, and Tremaine Edmunds was also cut as a cap-saving move. That is all three of their starters either gone or incapacitated. They began working to correct this by re-signing backup D’Marco Jackson, who’d played well in relief of Edmunds last season. Then Devin Bush arrived as one of their top free agent signing, adding some experience and speed to the mix. Now they’ve thrown another wrinkle into the mix, bringing Jack Sanborn home.

The former Bears undrafted free agent became a quality contributor for the team from 2022 through 2024. However, he chose to leave as a free agent last year, rejoining Matt Eberflus in Dallas. Unfortunately, his season was cut short by a groin injury. With Eberflus out as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator, the linebacker decided to come home to Chicago, giving them much-needed help as they retool their defense. The interesting part is what they have planned for him.

Jack Sanborn returning sends one of two signals.

The first concerns Edwards. It is possible the team doesn’t believe the veteran linebacker will be ready for the season. He suffered an injury similar to Braxton Jones’ in 2024, which took months to recover from. Even when he returned to training camp, it was clear he wasn’t 100%. Those struggles carried into the season, where he was eventually benched. The Bears may not wish to take those risks with Edwards, who is considerably older than Jones. A trio of Bush, Jackson, and Sanborn is something they feel confident can work.

The other possibility is that this is a clear signal that the Bears have little hope for Ruben Hyppolite. They spent a 4th round pick on the Maryland linebacker last year, loving his rare speed for the position. Unfortunately, he didn’t get much playing time. Injuries slowed him during the season, and his play never really stood out. Sanborn could be a much more reliable primary backup to the three starters, relegating Hyppolite to special teams duties or the inactive list.

Sanborn is meant to ease the Bears draft needs.

They would rather not have to spend their highest draft capital on upgrading the position. Not when they have issues on the defensive line and in the secondary. Jack Sanborn may not have the speed Dennis Allen usually covets, but he’s a highly intelligent and instinctive player who does most things well. The one uncertainty is where he will play. He could man the middle as he did a few years ago, but that feels like Jackson’s likely spot. In such a case, Sanborn would replace Sewell on the strong side.

He has experience playing both spots and can be moved around depending on the situation. His solid ability as a blitzer will appeal to Allen, who is often aggressive. If nothing else, this is a great moment for a local kid who likely never wanted to leave. He signed with the Bears because he wanted to play for Chicago. Business just got in the way. Now he has a second chance. Expect him to make the most of it.