Tag: bears running backs

Bears and RB Josh Jacobs reportedly have ‘mutual interest’

ESPN 1000’s Jason McKie says Raiders RB Josh Jacobs and the Bears have mutual interest as free agency draws closer.

It’s looking more and more likely that the Chicago Bears will be adding a running back when free agency opens next week. First, there were reports that Chicago was expected to pursue running back Saquon Barkley. Now another name is being floated as an option: Josh Jacobs. And it sounds like there is interest on both sides.

Chicago Bears radio sideline reporter and ESPN 1000 Bears analyst Jason McKie was on Wednesday’s edition of the Chicago Bears Podcast with Pat The Designer and dropped an interesting nugget about Jacobs. “I know from his standpoint, Josh would love to be in a Bears uniform,” McKie said before revealing that his agent represents Jacobs as well. When McKie brought up the idea of Jacobs playing in Chicago, the agent had quite the response. “I texted him [Jacobs] would look great in a Bears uniform. He’s like, ‘hey, there’s mutual interest.’

McKie was quick to make things clear that this doesn’t mean the Bears are going all in to make sure Jacobs signs, but he did reiterate the interest on both sides.

Jacobs is entering free agency for the first time in his career after five seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders and is coming off a somewhat down season. He finished the year with 805 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns, the lowest of his career, while playing in 13 games. In 2022, Jacobs led the NFL in rushing yards with 1,653 and added 12 rushing touchdowns. Despite the 26-year-olds drop-off in production last year, Jacobs is still considered one of the top running backs on the market.

The Bears and general manager Ryan Poles have roughly $44 million in cap space available following the Jaylon Johnson franchise tag, and reports have them investing in a running back during free agency. Perhaps that running back will be Jacobs, who, interestingly enough, was selected in the 2019 NFL Draft using one of the first-round picks the Bears gave up in the Khalil Mack trade. That might be coming full circle if Jacobs signs with Chicago in free agency. Jacobs has a market value of $10.5 million next year, according to Spotrac and would be an excellent player to pair with Roschon Johnson and Khalil Herbert.

Report: Bears to hire Chad Morton as running backs coach

According to Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Bears are set to hire former Seahawks coach Chad Morton.

It seems the Chicago Bears had themselves a busy Tuesday working to hire offensive coaches. According to Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Bears are hiring Chad Morton to be their running backs coach, which would round out the position coaches on the offensive staff. Morton is the third reported coaching hire over the last 24 hours, joining wide receivers coach Chris Beatty and passing game coordinator Thomas Brown.

Morton, like Brown, has prior ties to new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. The two worked together for the last three years on the Seattle Seahawks, but his coaching journey started out in a place Bears fans know all too well, however.

After a productive playing career as a running back, Morton began his coaching career with the Green Bay Packers and was a special teams assistant from 2010–2013. From there, he joined the Seahawks in a similar role before moving to their offensive staff as a running backs assistant from 2015–2016. In 2017, he was promoted to running backs coach and trudged through a tough season where the Seahawks had a bottom-five rushing attack.

Those struggles didn’t last long, though. Seattle led the league in rushing the following season, averaging 160 yards per game, and had another top-five attack in 2019. In 2022, Morton became the Seahawks run game coordinator in addition to his role as running backs coach.

Morton helped get the most out of Chris Carson for a few seasons and developed younger talents such as Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet. Now, he rounds out Waldron’s staff and will be tasked with further developing players like Roschon Johnson and Khalil Herbert in the backfield.

Bears 2022 RB review: David Montgomery, Khalil Herbert help make history

Our next Bears position review is running back, which helped set the single-season team rushing record but looks uncertain going into 2023.

The Chicago Bears wrapped the 2022 season with a 3-14 record, which culminated in a 10-game losing streak. But there’s still reasons to be optimistic about the future, including a boatload of salary cap space, the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft and the emergence of quarterback Justin Fields.

Here at Bears Wire, we’re going position by position through the 2022 Bears and grading every player. Following the quarterbacks, our next group is running back, a position that contributed to the best rushing season for the Bears in team history with 3,014 yards, but looks uncertain heading into 2023.

Bears Hall of Fame RB Gale Sayers has passed away at age 77

The NFL has lost a legend as Bears Hall of Fame RB Gale Sayers passed away Wednesday at the age of 77.

The Chicago Bears have had some amazing talent at the running back position in their storied 100-year history. And you can’t talk about running backs — whether it’s the Bears or the NFL — without mentioning Hall of Famer Gale Sayers.

But just as 2020 has taken many good things from us, it also took Sayers, who passed away on Wednesday at age 77.

“All those who love the game of football mourn the loss of one of the greatest to ever play this Game with the passing of Chicago Bears legend Gale Sayers,” Hall of Fame president and CEO David Baker said in a statement. “He was the very essence of a team player — quiet, unassuming and always ready to compliment a teammate for a key block. Gale was an extraordinary man who overcame a great deal of adversity during his NFL career and life.

 “The ‘Kansas Comet’ burst onto the scene in the National Football League and captured the attention of all of America. Despite playing only 68 NFL games because of an injury-shortened career, Gale was a clear-cut — and first-ballot — Hall of Famer for his accomplishments on the field and for the man of character he was in life.

“The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Gale. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Ardie, and their entire family. We will forever keep his legacy alive to serve as inspiration for future generations. The Hall of Fame flag will fly at half-staff until he is laid to rest.”

RB David Montgomery being smart as he recovers from groin injury

David Montgomery is being cautious as he returns from his groin injury. But there’s a good chance he’s able to suit up Sunday vs. Lions.

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There was a time not too long ago when many were wondering what the Chicago Bears would do at running back without David Montgomery to start the season. Montgomery, who suffered a groin injury during training camp practice on Aug. 26, was believed to be out anywhere from two to four weeks.

Montgomery, like many, feared the worst at first. Especially with reports that he was carted off the field. (Note: The practice field is a good distance from the facility, so a cart was necessary.)

“I thought I tore something, actually,” Montgomery said, via ChicagoBears.com. “Just how it happened, when it happened, what it looked like after it happened. Really just trying to be sure that it wasn’t as serious as I thought it was. Luckily there wasn’t a tear, so to the grace of God, I’m able to get back to rehab and training so I can get back on the field.”

But Montgomery appears to have recovered quickly from his groin injury — as he practiced in full both Thursday and Friday — and his availability for Sunday’s Week 1 opener against the Detroit Lions is more than favorable.

“I feel like the injury was a bigger deal in the media than it really was here,” Tarik Cohen said earlier this week. “He bounced back off of that so fast; it’s like it never happened. He’s already back doing the things you love to see him doing: running hard and making that first person have a tough day tackling him. I just see him having a great year this year.”

With a presumed strong emphasis on the run game this season, the Bears are going to need Montgomery to take the lead. But Montgomery is also being smart about this whole thing. He doesn’t want to rush back too quickly and risk hurting himself worse and ultimately hurting his team

“Your best ability is availability,” Montgomery said before practice on Thursday. “With me, it’s being sure I take care of myself. I’d be hurting the team more if I was to come back earlier than I was supposed to and continue to be hurt and hurt myself again. So I hurt the team, but I hurt myself, too. The biggest thing is being smart with myself, being smart with my body and being sure I communicate with the training staff and the coaches to let them know how I feel.”

After practicing in full both Thursday and Friday, there’s a good chance that Montgomery will be ready to go Sunday against the Lions.

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WATCH: Cordarrelle Patterson gets work in with RBs at Bears camp

The Bears have suited up for the first padded practice Monday at Halas Hall, and new footage shows Patterson taking reps with the RBs.

The Chicago Bears have suited up for their first padded practice of training camp Monday at Halas Hall. This begins the first of 14 allotted padded practices for Chicago ahead of their 2020 opener against the Detroit Lions.

This is also the first practice where media are allowed to watch practice, which should give fans a good understanding of how certain things like the quarterback competition and other position battles are panning out.

The first footage from Bears practice has surfaced courtesy of WGN’s Josh Frydman, who got confirmation that Cordarrelle Patterson is indeed getting reps with the running backs rather than wide receivers, which was previously reported by NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo.

https://twitter.com/Josh_Frydman/status/1295372151558635522?s=20

Patterson is a threat every time he has the ball in his hands, which is why the Bears want to make sure they can get the ball in his hands whenever they can. While Chicago has a crowded receivers room, the Bears can utilize Patterson more in the running game in addition to his kick return duties.

But the biggest storyline of training camp — and the biggest focus at these practices open to the media — is the quarterback competition between Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles.

Frydman shared a look at Trubisky and Foles running through some drills. But expect to hear from the media whether someone has an immediate edge in the first day in pads.

https://twitter.com/Josh_Frydman/status/1295371445497978880?s=20

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Cordarrelle Patterson meeting with RBs, not WRs​ at Bears camp

There are questions about RB depth behind David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen. But Matt Nagy has WR Cordarrelle Patterson working with RBs.

The running back group for the Chicago Bears has been under some criticism due to the lack of depth behind David Montgomery and with Tarik Cohen being more of a receiving back.

Some were hoping that the Bears would sign a veteran in free agency or hoping for an undrafted free agent to make some noise in training camp, but head coach Matt Nagy is getting creative.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported Friday on “Inside Training Camp Live” that the Bears are planning for Cordarrelle Patterson to be used more as a running back this season.

“Patterson has been in meetings with the running backs — not with the wide receivers,” said Garafolo. “When they signed him to a two-year, $10 million deal before last season, they really had visions of using him creatively.”

Last season, the 29-year old carried the ball 17 times for 103 yards. In Patterson’s seven-year career, he has 103 carries for 785 yards with seven touchdowns.

The Bears wide receiving room is crowded as it consists of Allen Robinson, Anthony Miller, Ted Ginn Jr., Javon Wims, Darnell Mooney, and Riley Ridley. While the running backs consist of Montgomery, Patterson, Cohen, Ryan Nall, and undrafted free agent Artavis Pierce.

Patterson could still get some targets either split out wide or in the backfield. But with how the receiving group is shaping up to be, Patterson probably wasn’t going to haul in as many receptions compared to what he could get in rushing attempts.

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ESPN lacks faith in Bears running back depth in 2020

ESPN named the Bears running backs group as the shakiest in the NFL, given the lack of depth behind David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen.

During an offseason where the Chicago Bears made some notable additions at positions of need on offense, including quarterback and tight end, it’s the running back position that was ignored and remains a concern heading into the 2020 season.

ESPN took a look at every running back group in the NFL, and they believe the Bears have the shakiest running back situation. Which makes a little sense given the lack of depth behind David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen.

This is one of the situations where “it’s all relative” really comes into play. Could David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen put together a solid or exceptional season? Absolutely. However, it’s not hard to identify more proven and effective backs on the other 31 rosters. Montgomery underwhelmed on 267 touches as a third-round rookie last season, whereas Cohen posted atrocious yardage numbers on a per-carry (3.3) and per-target (4.4) basis. Furthermore, Chicago’s depth is also arguably weakest in the league.

There’s a ton of hype surrounding Montgomery heading into his second season. And it’s easy to see why. 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.

That despite the overall struggles of the run game, including the offensive line and Matt Nagy’s aversion to the run. Montgomery hasn’t gotten a fair shake, which will certainly change in 2020 given the increased focus that’s been placed on finding a balance on offense.

Any concerns from the run game don’t stem from Montgomery or Cohen. Rather, the lack of depth behind them. Two unproven players in Ryan Nall and undrafted rookie Artavis Pierce will battle for the third running back spot, which will ultimately serve as Montgomery’s backup.

The Bears would do well to bring in a veteran running back to compete for that third spot. But, at least at this point, they seem content with the options on the roster.

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Bears activate RB Artavis Pierce from COVID-19 list, waive RB Napoleon Maxwell

The Chicago Bears finally got some good news on the COVID-19 front with rookie RB Artavis Pierce being activated from the reserve list.

The Chicago Bears finally got some good news on the COVID-19 front. After three players were placed on the list over the last week, including nose tackle John Jenkins, one of those players has been cleared for training camp.

The Bears have activated undrafted rookie running back Artavis Pierce from the COVID-19 reserve list. They waived fellow undrafted free agent running back Napoleon Maxwell to make space on the roster.

Pierce, an undrafted rookie free agent out of Oregon State, had 366 carries for 2,127 yards and 15 touchdowns and had 74 receptions for 578 yards and two touchdowns in 44 games with the Beavers.

With the Bears searching for running back David Montgomery’s backup, Pierce will be battling Ryan Nall for that third running back spot in training camp.

Heading into training camp, there is a new reserve/COVID-19 list status for players that have either tested positive for COVID-19 or has been quarantine having been exposed to someone infected with the virus.

Teams are not permitted to comment on a player’s medical status, which means we don’t know whether players on the list are just in quarantine or whether they’ve tested positive for COVID-19.

With Pierce being activated from the list, that leaves just Jenkins and tight end Eric Saubert on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

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Bears rookie RB Artavis Pierce placed on reserve/COVID-19 list

Bears rookies reported to training camp last week for COVID-19 testing, and RB Artavis Pierce has been placed on the injured/COVID-19 list.

The Chicago Bears have placed rookie running back Artavis Pierce on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday.

Heading into training camp, there is a new reserve/COVID-19 list status for players that have either tested positive for COVID-19 or has been quarantine having been exposed to someone infected with the virus. Once placed on this list, the player is not counted on the active roster, which currently brings Chicago’s active roster to 84 ahead of the Aug. 16 deadline.

Teams are not permitted to comment on a player’s medical status, which means we don’t know whether Pierce is just in quarantine or whether he’s tested positive for COVID-19.

Pierce, an undrafted rookie free agent out of Oregon State, had 366 carries for 2,127 yards and 15 touchdowns and had 74 receptions for 578 yards and two touchdowns in 44 games with the Beavers.

With the Bears searching for running back David Montgomery’s backup, Pierce would be battling Ryan Nall and fellow undrafted rookie Napoleon Maxwell for that third running back spot in training camp.

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