The Chicago Bears have concerns at the running back position. D’Andre Swift remains the unquestioned starter going into the regular season. However, the situation behind him is precarious at best. Roschon Johnson has been out for weeks with a foot injury. Travis Homer has missed time with a calf problem. Rookie Kyle Monangai missed the last two preseason games with a soft tissue injury. The depth at running back was already a concern for the Bears coming into August. Now it’s a crisis.

It was hinted that GM Ryan Poles might approach the trade market for potential help. The challenge is obviously finding someone credible who is available at a decent price. As it happens, the Jacksonville Jaguars might be obliged based on information from team writer John Shipley of Sports Illustrated.

RB (4): Travis Etienne, Tank Bigsby, Bhayshul Tuten (R), LeQuint Allen (R)

I believe the Jaguars will look to unload one of their veteran backs. If they can’t, I think they carry these four and make one of the two rookies inactive on game day.

Shipley explained further in another article.

Much of this stems from how much the Jaguars love their two new rookie additions. Carrying four running backs is possible, but it’s more likely they may wish to keep three and use that extra roster spot elsewhere. In such a scenario, he believes the name with the best odds of getting dealt is Bigsby.

With the way the Jaguars seem to be enamored with rookie running backs Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen Jr., it seems to make sense if the Jaguars were to look to deal one of Travis Etienne or Tank Bigsby. Both are very different style of players, but I am of the opinion that Bigsby would be the most likely option if this were to happen.

Bigsby is younger and cheaper than Etienne and is a better pure rusher, but his issues as a passing-down back limit the Jaguars’ flexibility from a scheme perspective — something the head coach himself noted earlier in training camp.

The Chicago Bears could absolutely use someone like Bigsby.

The former 3rd round pick had a strong second season for Jacksonville last year, going for 766 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging a healthy 4.6 yards per carry. While not a premier athlete, he’s well-built and has excellent vision. He is a pure runner. Catching the ball as a receiver has never been his strength. The good news is the Chicago Bears don’t need that with Swift on the roster. They require somebody who can pair with him, providing a tough running style similar to what David Montgomery brought in Detroit. Bigsby can absolutely be that. The next day or two will determine whether Jacksonville makes him available. It is unlikely they’d demand more than a mid-round pick for him. This move would definitely solve one of the Bears’ biggest problems.

The Chicago Bears are not a complete team. Anybody with common sense knows this. They have flaws. The goal is to work around them as best they can. GM Ryan Poles usually does a good job of scouring the waiver wire and trade market this time of year, looking for quality depth. While not big moves should be expected, it isn’t crazy to think the Bears will make one or two moves to shore up weaker areas of the depth chart. Here are five names that could be available over the next couple of days that make sense for them.

The Chicago Bears may have some interesting options to consider soon.

RB Jaleel McLaughlin

The Denver Broncos are suddenly crowded at running back with the arrivals of RJ Harvey and JK Dobbins. That leaves McLaughlin in a precarious spot after two productive seasons in which he had over 570 yards and three touchdowns. He gets knocked for his smaller size, but the running back has averaged a healthy 4.8 yards per carry in his young career. Chicago may offer him more opportunities than Denver can this year.

EDGE Azeez Ojulari

Philadelphia has a logjam at outside linebacker. Ojulari, a former 2nd round pick, seemed like a fair bet to make the roster anyway. However, three guys are positioned ahead of him by a comfortable margin. That means he’s battling everyone else for the last spot, and he doesn’t bring much value to special teams. Ojulari doesn’t have the size Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen usually prefers, but he can be good for around 6-7 sacks if given a regular rotational role.

EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos

Drafting Mykel Williams in the 1st round and trading for Bryce Huff suddenly made the depth chart crowded at defensive end. San Francisco may not wish to pay their #4 guy over $7 million. Releasing him in favor of a cheaper option makes sense. Gross-Matos was productive last season, notching four sacks in 11 games. He has the size and power Allen likes. The primary issue for him has been health. He’s missed games in all but one of his five previous NFL seasons.

CB Beanie Bishop

One of the surprises of 2024. Bishop was an undrafted rookie who emerged as a regular member of the Steelers’ secondary, collecting four interceptions. Unfortunately for him, Pittsburgh made several big additions at cornerback, headlined by Darius Slay and Jalen Ramsey. Chicago is banged up at cornerback and they could use somebody with ballhawking skills.

S Kyle Dugger

Allen isn’t afraid to go heavy at safety with certain formations. He proved that in New Orleans. Adding another starting-caliber guy alongside Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker makes sense, especially given the latter’s health track record. Dugger was a good player for New England between 2021 and 2023, showcasing versatility in coverage and along the line of scrimmage. His contract is pricey, which is why a trade is challenging. Still, he can greatly help this defense, particularly against the run.

The Chicago Bears are never idle this time of year. GM Ryan Poles has developed a reputation for always working the phones, looking for solutions at positions that might need help. He boosted the defensive line last year with two trades for Chris Williams and Darrell Taylor. It is reasonable to expect he will do so again. The only question is which position it’ll be. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune offered an update on that. Based on what he’s hearing, there could be a significant shuffle at running back in the next few days.

A big reason for that is the injury issues. Three of their primary guys are dealing with ailments, leaving the depth situation in considerable danger.

Seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai has been out with a minor soft-tissue injury since the joint practice with the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 15. He’s expected to be back in action soon.

Roschon Johnson (foot) has been out since Aug. 7 and Travis Homer (calf) has been sidelined since Aug. 13. Johnson was a fourth-round pick in 2023 and Homer was re-signed in March to a $1.75 million, one-year contract that guaranteed him $1 million. One or both could be candidates to open the season on injured reserve with a designation to return.

That makes the Bears’ course clear.

Unless they like one of Brittain Brown or Royce Freeman, it’s reasonable to assume they may go hunting for help. Ben Johnson loves running the football, so he needs a stable of quality bodies to make it work. The waiver wire could be an option, but Biggs doesn’t rule out a possible trade if the right guy is available.

It’s possible the Bears go light at running back on the initial 53-man roster Tuesday with plans to make a move or moves in subsequent days. The roster will almost certainly look somewhat different by Thursday when the team begins a four-day break. General manager Ryan Poles could consider a waiver move, a free agent signing or possibly a late trade to bolster the back end of the depth chart.

Ryan Poles will likely look at the lesser-known names.

Knowing the coaches like their setup with Swift and Monangai, he won’t go hunting for a big fish. This will be more of a hidden gem hunt. That is where having running backs coach Eric Bieniemy can be such a huge benefit. He’s always had a sharp eye for talent at the position. Monangai looks like the latest example. If there is somebody available he likes, Ryan Poles will have the green light to get him. In times like this, it’s best to look at the teams that are deep at the position. Denver, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Green Bay feel like teams to watch. Poles is usually good about keeping track of notable names who have played well in the preseason. The trick will be finding somebody who fits Johnson’s system. Answers are likely forthcoming in the next 24-48 hours.

The Chicago Bears have begun whittling down their roster of 90 players to 53. Head coach Ben Johnson and GM Ryan Poles have until August 26th to get things in order. Given what we know about this front office over the past few years, it is safe to assume they might have an additional move or two in mind. So far, there haven’t been any big surprises. Here are the latest names. We will be adding more as the news trickles out.

Chicago Bears roster moves ahead of deadline.

WR Samori Toure

This is hardly a surprise. Toure didn’t do much to stand out in training camp. Meanwhile, others like Jahdae Walker made big impressions. The Bears were already deep at the position. Toure never stood a chance.

LB Swayze Bozeman

Ruben Hyppolite and Noah Sewell have stood out the most this preseason at linebacker, while Amen has too much special teams value. Bozeman got lost in the crowd.

OL Chris Glaser

Glaser never had a real shot at a spot with Luke Newman playing so well this past month and Ryan Bates seemingly returning to form.

TE Thomas Gordon

Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland are the obvious #1-2 options. Durham Smythe feels like the lock at #3. Maybe Joel Wilson gets the fourth spot, but Gordon had not shot.

DB Mark Perry

Perry came in as an interesting undrafted rookie, but the Chicago Bears never really had any open spots at safety with Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, Elijah Hicks, and Jonathan Owens.

DB Jeremiah Walker

As is the case with many on this list, the numbers game made it almost impossible for Walker to make any headway in competition.

CB Terell Smith (Injured Reserve)

Tearing the patella tendon in the middle of a strong preseason really sucks. Smith looked like he might challenge for serious playing time.

TE Joel Wilson

Wilson had a productive camp and preseason for the Bears. The unfortunate reality was the team likely plans to carry just three tight ends, and those spots were locked up before camp even started.

CB Zah Frazier (NFI list)

The 5th round pick missed all of training camp for the Bears with “personal reasons.” It still hasn’t been revealed what happened, but this move suggests the team would like to keep him around.

DB Millard Bradford

Never really stood out in practice and was trapped in a secondary with too few open spots to compete for.

DL Xavier Carlton

Same as Bradford. He was mostly a camp body to fill a spot but didn’t do much with the opportunities he had.

DB Alex Cook

Cook had a brief moment in the spotlight in the preseason opener when he blasted Miami’s quarterback on an all-out blitz. Outside of that, there wasn’t much worth discussing.

LB Power Echols

Echols was considered one of the better undrafted free agents the Bears got. He had a solid preseason but didn’t make up enough ground to overtake others. His lack of special teams value likely hurt.

DB Kaleb Hayes

Don’t expect to make the roster if your name is never mentioned in practice. Such was the case for Hayes.

QB Austin Reed

Reed was once again solid in his time on the field for Chicago. He could be a practice squad option for them again, but was never unseating Tyson Bagent or Case Keenum.

RB Ian Wheeler

It is such a bummer he didn’t make the team, but Wheeler made a strong effort. That is worth praising after tearing his ACL last season.

DB Tre Flowers

This one is a minor surprise. Flowers had a solid August and felt like he could be a reliable reserve at cornerback. Maybe the Chicago Bears push him to the practice squad.

RB Royce Freeman

Freeman didn’t waste time by scoring a touchdown in his first appearance. Unfortunately, he arrived too late to make a strong enough impression.

OL Joshua Miles

The Bears have a ton of depth along their offensive line. Miles had too much competition to deal with.

C Ricky Stromberg

There was a lot of optimism about what Stromberg could bring to the table after coming over from Washington. Unfortunately, the massive reshuffle of the interior OL hurt his chances.

WR JP Richardson

Things got off to a great start for Richardson in training camp. However, the deep group of receivers and the rise of Jahdae Walker may have killed his chances.

DE Tanoh Kpassagnon

The former high draft choice was familiar with Dennis Allen from their time in New Orleans together. That doesn’t seem to have helped much after his pedestrian camp.

LS Luke Elkin

With Patrick Scales gone, the long snapping job would transition to Scott Daley, whom the Bears signed last year. He was never in any danger from Elkin.

DT Zacch Pickens

The Bears took back-to-back defensive tackles in 2023: Gervon Dexter and Pickens. Dexter has become a quality player for them. Pickens never managed to capitalize on his obvious talent.

WR Tyler Scott

Scott had plenty of opportunities to establish himself over the past two years. He just failed to take advantage, with dropped passes and zero special teams value.

RB Travis Homer (Injured Reserve)

One of the best Bears special teams players has been battling a calf problem all summer. Now he is out for the first four games of the season.

LB Amen Ogbongbemiga (Injured Reserve)

Another core specials teams presence. It isn’t clear how Ogbongbemiga got hurt, but losing him is another hit to the team’s third phase.

DB Tysheem Johnson

There was a serious buzz when camp started about Johnson. As is often the case, he wasn’t able to live up to it. His name was rarely mentioned in practices or preseason games.

OL Doug Kramer Jr.

Kramer has survived on the roster for years, but health has constantly gotten him into trouble. Ultimately, that is what buried him once again here.

OL Bill Murray

He was a standout in the preseason last year for the Bears and got some playing time. However, the overhaul of the interior and the new offensive coaching staff crippled his chances of staying.

WR Maurice Alexander

He had some exciting moments in the preseason, but the rise of Jahdae Walker all but torpedoed his chances of cracking the roster. The practice squad seems likely for him.

RB Brittain Brown

Chicago made some interesting decisions at running back with the final cuts. Brown looked like a decent addition, but apparently Ben Johnson wants something else.

DL Jonathan Ford

Ford was like most others on this list. He was a camp body who needed to have a great preseason to get a shot. It didn’t work out.

DL Jamree Kromah

The former undrafted free agent made some nice plays in the preseason. It wasn’t enough to outpace Austin Booker or Dominique Robinson, though.

OL Jordan McFadden

The Bears tried to trade him over the past week. No takers materialized. McFadden had a strong preseason, but the crowded depth chart made it impossible to keep him.

WR Miles Boykin

The veteran offered some size and special teams value. Just not enough to overshadow guys like Walker and Devin Duvernay.

TE Stephen Carlson

If you can’t outperform Joel Wilson in the preseason, the odds of you making the roster are remote.

Getting the head coach right has been the Achilles heel of almost every Chicago Bears general manager since the position came to be in the 1970s. Jim Finks whiffed twice before George Halas went over his head to hire Mike Ditka. Rod Graves helped land Dave Wannstedt. Mark Hafley settled on Dick Jauron. The first one to actually get it right was Jerry Angelo when he hired Lovie Smith. Then the cycle started all over again. Phil Emery fired Smith in favor of Mark Trestman. Ryan Pace had two chances, going with John Fox and Matt Nagy. Then Ryan Poles took his first shot at Matt Eberflus, which was a disaster.

So you can understand why fans weren’t thrilled about the idea of giving Poles another chance. They had no reason to believe he’d get it right. The GM understood the pressure on him. He spent months doing his research on dozens of candidates. It didn’t take long to recognize Ben Johnson was the guy everybody wanted, and for good reasons. For the first time, Poles admitted something to Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune about how that process unfolded. He wasn’t entirely sold that Johnson was head coach material at first.

“It’s funny,” Poles told the Tribune. “When you scout players, you’re always asking, ‘Will you have to push this player or do you have to pull them back?’ And the narrative (on Johnson) made me feel like maybe he was going to have to be pushed.

“But the truth is he’s probably going to have to be pulled back more than anything, just because of the fire he does have and the competitive attitude he brings. It’s outstanding. And he’s a truth teller. That has been well-received by the entire building.”

Ryan Poles understood from the first meeting that Johnson was different.

Some coaches tell the truth, and coaches who have a fiery, competitive temperament. It is rare for one to be both of those things. Johnson is anything but cloak and dagger. He tells players what they need to hear, even if it makes them uncomfortable. In his mind, that is the only way they will get better. This was something Ryan Poles hinted that Eberflus always struggled with: accountability. Some coaches seem afraid to actually coach guys, perhaps being intimidated by somebody’s star status. Whatever the case, Thomas Brown mentioned the same issue last season after he took over as interim head coach. Johnson does not have that problem. Caleb Williams, DJ Moore, and others quickly discovered they won’t get any royal treatment. If they want praise, it will be earned. Otherwise, expect plenty of cold glares and firm corrections.

Back in March, the Bears signed edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo to a 3-year, $48 million deal — $16 million annually — with $32 million guaranteed. At the time, some questioned whether GM Ryan Poles was overpaying. Now, with training camp and preseason just about wrapped up, it’s starting to look like one of the Bears biggest mistakes in what otherwise appears to have been a very strong offseason.

After reviewing the All-22, Odeyingbo didn’t stand out as a pass rusher and struggled against the run. According to PFF, he posted the second-worst pass rush grade on the team during preseason (50.2). He did record four total pressures and one QB hit, but no sacks. To be fair, it’s a small sample size — just 16 pass-rush snaps. Even Montez Sweat had only 13 attempts, so the numbers aren’t the full story. I break it down a bit more in the video below.

Still, this always felt like a projection signing. Odeyingbo is 25 years old, stands 6’5” and 282 pounds, and was a 2nd-round pick in 2021. With the Colts, he notched 3 sacks in 2024 and a career-high 8 in 2023. The tools are there, but so far, he hasn’t flashed on tape or in camp.

When you hand someone $48 million, you expect to feel confident about the investment. With Week 1 just two weeks away, Odeyingbo hasn’t provided that reassurance — and this could end up being one of the bigger misses of Ryan Poles tenure.

Caleb Williams & The Chicago Bears Are Going to Be Really Good

Solid unit, with

elite coordination.

Pass rush does them in.