Tag: Bears running back

Khalil Herbert expects to be the Bears starting running back

The Bears running back is making his expectations for this year crystal clear.

Ever since Chicago Bears running back Khalil Herbert came into the league, he’s had to play second fiddle. During his rookie season, he played behind both David Montgomery and Damien Williams. Last year, he remained behind Montgomery, all while averaging the most yards per carry of any Bears running back the last two seasons (4.2 in 2021 and 5.7 in 2022).

This year, Herbert is getting a fair shot at being the starter but faces competition in veteran D’Onta Foreman and rookie Roschon Johnson. Despite the new faces, however, the third-year running back is fully prepared to become the team’s RB1.

Following Thursday’s hot and humid training camp practice at Halas Hall, Herbert met with the media and laid out his expectations as best he could. Asked by CHGO’s Mark Carman if he expects to be the No. 1 guy at the position, Herbert was clear in his answer. “I mean…Yeah, that’s my expectation,” he said with an emphasis. “We’ve got a great room of guys and everyone expects to be the No. 1 guy. We compete every day, everybody’s pushing each other to be better.”

Herbert praised his teammates but reiterated he has his eye on the prize. “That’s like coming to work and expecting to lose. You don’t ever come expecting to lose. In everything I do, I expect to compete, I expect to win.”

The former Virginia Tech standout has just 1,164 career rushing yards and six touchdowns, but has shown an innate ability to locate and hit the hole on the offensive line with ease when given the chance. Herbert’s 5.7 yards per carry in 2022 led all running backs with a minimum of 100 carries. But people aren’t worried about Herbert’s running. It’s his pass blocking that will likely decide where he fits in on the depth chart but he’s taking steps to get better.

Herbert’s blocking has been a liability, both on offense and special teams. The veteran spent this offseason working on new techniques, primarily thanks to boxing. He said it’s too soon to see how that training will pay off until the pads come on but if he’s improved, it will go a long way in deciding Herbert’s role on the field. Regardless, his expectations are high this season and he feels ready to become first chair, if you will.

Bears RB David Montgomery nominated for FedEx’s Ground Player of the Week

David Montgomery has been on a tear over the last month, but it was his Week 15 performance against the Vikings that was his best yet.

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The Chicago Bears offense has found new life with the run game and second-year running back David Montgomery, who has been on a tear over the last month.

But Montgomery’s best game came on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, where the Bears needed to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. And it was Montgomery’s stellar performance that led the way.

Montgomery gained 146 rushing yards on 32 carries (4.6 average) with two touchdowns. His rushing total and carries were both career highs.

That performance garnered Montgomery a nomination for FedEx’s Ground Player of the Week, where he’s up against the likes of Tennessee’s Derrick Henry and Green Bay’s Aaron Jones.

Montgomery has recorded three 100-yard rushing games — including back-to-back 100-yard games — over the last four games. With a rejuvenated offensive line, better play-calling and new opportunities, Montgomery has been showing everyone why he’s one of the league’s exciting young backs to watch.

You can vote for Montgomery as the FedEx Ground Player of the Week here: https://www.nfl.com/voting/air-and-ground/ 

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Bears promoting RB Lamar Miller to active roster for Vikings game

With RB David Montgomery ruled out with a concussion, the Bears will elevate veteran RB Lamar Miller to the active roster vs. Vikings.

There were concerns about depth at running back for the Chicago Bears ahead of the regular season. But with starting running back David Montgomery ruled out with a concussion for Monday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, that leaves Chicago without a proven running back on the roster.

Until now.

The Bears are planning on promoting veteran running back Lamar Miller from the practice squad to the active roster for the Vikings game, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

With Montgomery out, that left the Bears thin at running back with Cordarrelle Patterson, Ryan Nall, Artavis Pierce and Miller.

Patterson told reporters earlier this week that he would be the next man up if Montgomery couldn’t play. Which could certainly be the case. But it sounds like the Bears have a role carved out for Miller, who will see the field for the first time since tearing his ACL before the 2019 season.

Bears RB David Montgomery ruled out vs. Vikings

The Bears have ruled out starting RB David Montgomery (concussion) for Monday night’s game against the Vikings.

There hasn’t been much to love about the Chicago Bears’ run game this season. And things got worse with news that starting running back David Montgomery has been ruled out of Monday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Montgomery suffered a concussion in last Sunday’s loss to the Tennessee Titans. He’s remained in concussion protocol all week, but the Bears have already ruled him out for a pivotal Week 10 game.

With Montgomery out, that leaves the Bears thin at running back with Cordarrelle Patterson, Ryan Nall, Artavis Pierce and practice squad member Lamar Miller.

Patterson told reportersPatterson told reporters earlier this week that he would be the next man up if Montgomery couldn’t play, which certainly looks to be the case. But look for Miller to possibly get some touches against the Vikings.

The Bears run game ranks last in the NFL with 82.3 rushing yards per game, which says more about the offensive line than Montgomery.

It’ll be a tall task trying to get the run game going without Montgomery and more instability on the offensive line.

RB Tarik Cohen dubbed Bears’ bounce-back player in 2020

Considering what Tarik Cohen has showcased in his first two seasons, it’s hard to believe that he won’t rebound in 2020.

It was hard not to find a player on the Chicago Bears’ offense last season that regressed in some way. Minus receiver Allen Robinson, of course. But one of Chicago’s biggest playmakers, versatile weapon Tarik Cohen, was someone whose playmaking abilities were severely lacking last season.

As for what went wrong in 2019, Cohen “dropped more passes, broke tackles at a lower rate and produced significantly fewer explosive plays,” according to Pro Football Focus. But considering what Cohen showed in his first two seasons, it’s hard to believe that he won’t rebound in 2020.

Which is why ESPN dubbed Cohen the Bears’ bounce-back player entering the 2020 season.

Outlook for 2020: Cohen had nowhere to run last season. Chicago’s all-purpose threat gained just 465 yards on 79 catches and 213 yards on 64 carries. Coach Matt Nagy attributed Cohen’s struggles to being routinely double-teamed by opposing defenses. The way Cohen can bounce back is simple. The Bears need a more balanced offensive attack with better weapons and improved quarterback play. Cohen’s contract is also up after the season, providing more motivation for him to get back on track.

Cohen has thrived when utilized as an overall playmaker on offense, where he can showcase his speed and elusiveness. But last season didn’t go as planned for the former fourth-round pick. Last season, Cohen rushed for 213 yards on 64 carries and caught a career-high 79 passes for 456 yards and three touchdowns. But he also averaged 3.3 yards per carry and had seven drops on 103 targets.

Entering a contract year, Cohen is someone that should play significantly better than he did a season ago given the circumstances around him should change. The Bears have made it a priority to bring more balance to their offense, which starts with establishing a run game.

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Bears’ David Montgomery among RBs set for Year 2 breakout in 2020

The struggles of Chicago’s run game hasn’t stopped analysts from believing that RB David Montgomery is poised for a breakout season in 2020.

The struggles of the Chicago Bears’ run game last season were well-documented. But that hasn’t stopped many analysts from believing that Bears running back David Montgomery can capitalize off a solid rookie season in 2020.

NFL.com’s Maurice Jones-Drew examined the second-year running backs that appear poised for a Year 2 breakout in 2020, and Montgomery is among those that made his list.

Jones-Drew points out the fallacies of the Bears offense as a whole last season and the importance of head coach Matt Nagy in Montgomery’s potential success.

Like I said in my running back rankings earlier this month, Montgomery’s success depends entirely on head coach Matt Nagy. The Bears relied on quarterback Mitchell Trubisky too often last season, and the result (an 8-8 record) prompted them to trade for Nick Foles in the offseason. No matter who’s under center this fall, though, Montgomery should be at the center of the offense. Trubisky and Foles need to lean on the run game in order to succeed in the passing game, because let’s face it: These two, with this supporting cast, aren’t going to throw all over the yard on NFL defenses. They’re just not. Montgomery has the goods to lead the Bears’ offensive charge with his vision, ability to break tackles and speed in the open field. He should see closer to 280-300 carries, easily gain 1,000-plus rushing yards and log double-digit TDs.

Montgomery had a solid rookie year, where he had 889 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He also added 25 receptions for 185 yards and a score. Montgomery surpassed 1,000 all-purpose yards as a rookie.

The run game wasn’t pretty last year. Montgomery struggled behind an ineffective offensive line — averaging 3.7 yards per carry — and he wasn’t helped by Nagy’s aversion to running the football. Montgomery had more than 20 rushing attempts in just four games, and there were seven games where he had less than 15 carries.

That should change drastically in 2020, as running the football has become a focal point for Nagy’s offense. Which is why he brought in new coaches with experience in the run game, including offensive coordinator Bill Lazor and offensive line coach Juan Castillo.

Montgomery is confident that he will have a breakout season that many have pegged him for.

“It’s going to be better this year,” he told reporters earlier this offseason. “I’m going to be better this year for this team and this organization. I’m going to come as prepared as ever to lead that running back room the way I need to — and be who I need to be for this offense and this team.”

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WATCH: Tarik Cohen isn’t pleased with his catching rating on Madden 21

There’s nothing like Madden ratings to cause some controversy among players in the NFL. Most of the time, players dispute their ratings – unless they reach the pinnacle of the 99 Club. Someone who’s not happy about one of his particular ratings is …

There’s nothing like Madden ratings to cause some controversy among players in the NFL. Most of the time, players dispute their ratings — unless they reach the pinnacle of the 99 Club.

Someone who’s not happy about one of his particular ratings is Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen, who garnered a 77 overall, which was the 17th best rating among Bears players.

While Cohen had his suspicions as to whether rookie receiver Darnell Mooney deserved to have a higher “speed” rating at 93 (Cohen had a 92), that wasn’t that displeased Cohen.

That was his catching rating of 73, which was far outside the top-10 among Bears players. Some defensive players even had higher catching ratings than Cohen.

“They did me dirty with the catching though,” Cohen said on the Bears’ Twitch account. “That’s my biggest disappointment. Catching and short route-running. That’s my game. If you know Tarik Cohen, you know catching.”

Cohen, known for his ability to do backflips and catch a football, was shocked they hadn’t seemed to take that into account with his 73 catching rating.

“They hadn’t seen the backflip catches?” he asked. “That’s what a 73 gets you now? Do you know how many people are doing backflip catches?”

Short answer: Not many.

Do you think Cohen’s catching rating should’ve been higher than 73?

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49ers RB Raheem Mostert has requested a trade. Could the Bears be interested?

Raheem Mostert is looking for a long-term deal, but the 49ers don’t seem willing to give it to him. Perhaps the Bears should consider him.

After leading the NFL in yards after contact with 5.6, rushing for 772 yards with eight touchdowns and a historic performance in the NFC Title Game against the Green Bay Packers, where he rushed for 220 yards and four touchdowns, Raheem Mostert has requested a trade from the San Francisco 49ers.

The 28-year old is looking for a long-term contract, and it seems like the 49ers aren’t willing to give Mostert that. The 49ers running backs room consists of Jerick McKinnon, Tevin Coleman and Jeff Wilson Jr.

This offseason the Bears haven’t really that much focus on their running backs as they still have David Montgomery, Tarik Cohen and Ryan Nall. The Bears have also signed two undrafted rookie running backs in Artavis Pierce and Napoleon Maxwell.

With Cohen playing mostly as a receiver, Nall with two carries last season and the inexperience from the undrafted free agents, it makes sense for the Bears to bring in someone to complement Montgomery.

In 2016, Mostert was signed to the Bears practice squad. A week after Mostert signed onto the practice squad, he appeared in two games. The Bears would demote Mostert back to the practice squad, but he would later be released on November 24 before signing with the 49ers.

There’s still some quality running backs in free agency, but the price might be too high, like with Devonta Freeman. The Bears would be looking to give up a mid-round pick, but how much is Mostert looking for in a long-term deal? 

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Mostert was looking to be in line with the highest-paid running backs on the 49ers, which would be in the $4.55 million range.

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Should we expect big second-year leap from RB David Montgomery in 2020?

The Bears’ biggest fantasy football question hinges on the production of second-year RB David Montgomery in 2020.

ESPN NFL Nation reporters answered the biggest fantasy questions for every team. For the Chicago Bears, it hinges on the production of running back David Montgomery in 2020.

One of Bears coach Matt Nagy’s stated goals is to have a more efficient and consistent running attack. Therefore, it’s reasonable to expect Montgomery’s rushing attempts and yardage will increase from his rookie season. I’m not sure whether Montgomery will take a giant leap, but Nagy knows that Montgomery wasn’t properly utilized in 2019 when he rushed for 889 yards and six touchdowns. Nagy is determined to fix that.

Montgomery had a solid rookie year, where he had 889 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He also added 25 receptions for 185 yards and a score. Montgomery surpassed 1,000 all-purpose yards as a rookie.

Still, it wasn’t what many expected from Montgomery. And it’s not all on him. He struggled behind an ineffective offensive line — averaging 3.7 yards per carry — and he wasn’t helped by Matt Nagy’s aversion to running the football. Montgomery had more than 20 rushing attempts in just four games, and there were seven games where he had less than 15 carries.

Obviously, fixing the run game has been a focal point this offseason for Chicago. While the Bears seem content with the running back room led by Montgomery, Tarik Cohen and Ryan Nall, they did bring in some new offensive coaches that specialize in the run game or offensive line. Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, offensive line coach Juan Castillo and tight ends coach Clancy Barone are working to get the run game on track.

Montgomery believes that the run game is going to be much better than it was last season.

“It’s going to be better this year,” Montgomery told reporters via video conference. “I’m going to be better this year for this team and this organization. I’m going to come as prepared as ever to lead that running back room the way I need to — and be who I need to be for this offense and this team.”

Montgomery, who will be the Bears’ featured back, should get a lot more carries than last season, and he should see a bigger role in the passing game. Whether that comes to fruition remains to be seen. But with the increased focus on the run game this offseason, Montgomery should get more opportunities in 2020.

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Bears’ new offensive coaches are looking to get the run game going

There were several issues with the Bears offense last season, including the run game, which was a detriment to a balanced offensive attack.

When it comes to dissecting what exactly went wrong with the Chicago Bears offense last season, you can’t pinpoint just one thing. Erratic quarterback play, an ineffective offensive line and inconsistent play calling were all contributing factors. But another was the struggles of the run game, which was a detriment to achieving a balanced offensive attack.

Rookie running back David Montgomery struggled to establish a rhythm behind a struggling offensive line and with a play-caller with no affinity for the run game. Montgomery had more than 20 rushing attempts in just four games, and there were seven games where he had less than 15 carries.

But in three of those games where he had more than 20 rushing attempts, the Bears won. The other game — against the Los Angeles Chargers — should’ve been a victory if Eddy Pineiro had connected on a 41-yard field goal in the closing seconds. Simply put, when the Bears had a heavy dose of the run game, they were able to turn those games into wins. Which made it even more puzzling as to why Nagy tended to abandon the run game early in games.

Fast forward this offseason, where head coach Matt Nagy brought in four new offensive coaches, including those with experience with the run game or offensive line — offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, offensive line coach Juan Castillo and tight ends coach Clancy Barone.

Lazor and Castillo have already been working on figuring out ways to open the run game up for Montgomery this season.

“Juan and I have had conversations already about the formations we would like to use in the run game for our opening game of the season,” Lazor said, via SI.com. “It’s our job, when your title is coordinator, you have to make sure it all fits.

“You have to make sure the run game, the pass game, the play-action, the drop-backs, the screens, they all fit.”

Someone else that knows something about blocking is tight ends coach Clancy Barone, who has also served as an offensive line coach during his coaching career.

“Here, we have a tight ends coach who’s not only been―in Clancy Barone, a very accomplished tight ends coach―who’s also been an offensive line coach,” Lazor said. “So, as you look at the whole picture of staff, how if your line coach takes the lead in the run game, how can you support them? The more you have guys like Clancy who have done the job and understand the job, to be able to support them, well that affects the role I have to take.”

Running backs coach Charles London described it as a committee approach, where everyone’s collaborating and looking to improve the run game as a whole.

“We’ll collaborate as we do in every phase of our game plan, whether it’s the run game, the pass game, protections,” London said. “It’s a collaboration there and I think that regardless of what the scheme is, it’s all about us.

“As an offense we didn’t really pull our weight last year and I know the guys are itching to get there and want to put a better foot forward.”

While Montgomery had a solid rookie season — 889 rushing yards, averaging 3.7 yards per carry and six touchdowns — we still haven’t seen everything that he can do. But Montgomery is confident that will change this season, and the run game as a whole will be better in 2020.

“It’s going to be better this year,” Montgomery said. “I’m going to be better this year for this team and this organization. I’m going to come as prepared as ever to lead that running back room the way I need to — and be who I need to be for this offense and this team.”

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