There’s no question that David Montgomery will be the starting running back for the Chicago Bears for the 2020 season. The question is, do the Bears have a serviceable backup even though the Bears didn’t add a veteran through free agency or a rookie through the draft.
The second-year running back out of Iowa State showed promise in his rookie year with 242 carries, 889 yards and six touchdowns. Last year Tarik Cohen had 64 carries but saw most of his time on the offense as a pass-catcher as he was targeted 104 times. Then the Bears have Ryan Nail, who had two carries, and wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, who ran the ball 17 times. There’s no sense of competition in carries for Montgomery, but what if he fails to deliver a better season or suffers an injury?
Those are two assumptions that might not happen, but the Bears don’t seem to have a reliable backup plan if those situations occur. NFL Hall of Fame executive Gil Brandt believes the backup running back void is the biggest issue on the roster.
Like the Eagles, the Bears will be taking a huge risk if a veteran isn’t added to the RB depth chart behind lead ball carrier David Montgomery. Tarik Cohen had 64 carries last season, but he doesn’t have the size to fill the role of an every-down back. The only other options on the roster currently include Ryan Nall, who recorded 8 yards on two carries after being promoted from the practice squad, and undrafted rookies Artavis Pierce and Napoleon Maxwell.
There are some options for the Bears if they choose to look at backup running backs. Former Atlanta Falcon Devonta Freeman is the top remaining running back on the market, but his contract demands are unlikely for a backup role. Some other running backs on the market include Lamar Miller, LeSean McCoy, Isaiah Crowell, Spencer Ware and Bilal Powell.
Another option for the Bears is after the preseason where rosters get cut down to 53 players. Chicago could have a chance to sign a valuable backup from the waiver wire.
For head coach Matt Nagy, the offense is going to feature a lot of Montgomery rather if it’s on the ground, through the air, or in pass protection. The 23-year old Montgomery is to have a significant workload and will develop the ability to play all three downs for a team that is eager to get back to the playoffs.
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