The Chicago Bears were thrust to the forefront of the news cycles when running back Kareem Hunt became available last year.
It wasn’t hard to understand why. Their head coach had a deep connection with the former rushing champion. Rumors swirled that Jordan Howard wasn’t viewed as the best fit for their system. It was a natural fit that the media tried desperately to push forward what with the Bears avoiding an outright answer as to whether they were interested or not.
In the end, it never got that far. The Cleveland Browns signed Hunt to a one-year deal, ending the madness before it had a chance to really get started. Now the Bears are left with a question. With Hunt off the table, are there any other running backs about to hit the market that they should consider? Here are five names worth watching.
Le’Veon Bell
Most people will dismiss this idea for the obvious reason that it would cost a ton of money. Money the Bears aren’t in a position to give. Then again, there’s always a way to find that cash if a team is motivated enough to make a splash. Especially one that has reason to believe to think they’re close to a Super Bowl title. So try to think about this from the perspective of head coach Matt Nagy and the Bears offensive staff. What could Le’Veon Bell do for your offense?
In a word: everything. Bell is one of the most versatile and talented running backs in the NFL. He was a superstar almost from the jump in Pittsburgh. Not only an athletic, patient runner but close to being an actual wide receiver out of the backfield. A true Swiss army knife as a football player and everything the Bears could want. That is if they’re willing to pay through the nose to get him. Last rumblings hinted Bell wanted something around $14.5 million per year or more.
Tevin Coleman
One half of the two-headed beast that has helped drive a successful Atlanta Falcons offense for years. Given the Falcons already paid De’Vonta Freeman, the odds are they will allow the other half of their 1-2 punch to hit the open market. Coleman was rarely the featured guy in Atlanta but he was always productive, showing flashes of what he could be.
He’s a bigger back at 6’1, 210 lbs with a solid power element to his game but stands out for both his above-average explosion and his ability to be a receiver out of the backfield. He averaged 4.4 yards per carry in his Falcons career and caught 92 passes in 56 games. The best part is he a native of Tinley Park, a mere 40-minute drive from Chicago. He went to high school at Oak Forest.
Ty Montgomery
No team should have a greater appreciation for how underrated Ty Montgomery is as a running than the Bears. He’s played better against them than any other team in the NFL in his career. The former 7th round pick of the Green Bay Packers just couldn’t get a bigger opportunity and was eventually traded to the Baltimore Ravens where he was trapped in a loaded depth chart.
He’s averaged 4.6 yards per carry for his career to this point with an impressive 107 catches in 42 career games. At 6’0, 216 lbs he’s plenty big enough for the position. It’s a matter of neither of his former teams actually committing to him as a primary member of the backfield. Green Bay was a pass-first team and Baltimore didn’t need him. The Bears could offer that opportunity.
Jay Ajayi
The Philadelphia Eagles find themselves in a tough financial situation. Odds are they won’t be using the limited funds they have to re-sign a running back who has a history of health issues. Jay Ajayi is another of those players who is a clear difference-maker in terms of his talent, but only when he’s able to stay on the football field. A frustrating dice roll every year.
He missed seven games as a rookie. Then in 2016, he was a Pro Bowler with 1,272 yards and eight touchdowns. A year later he regressed in Miami, gets traded to the Eagles and averages 5.8 yards per carry while helping them win the Super Bowl. Then last season he’s done for the year after just four games. So yeah. If the Bears are the gambling type, he’s a name to pursue.
Spencer Ware
The Bears may not be willing to spend big on the market this year. While that may be disappointing to fans looking for a splash, it doesn’t mean the team will remain idle. There’s a chance they could try to at least replace Taquan Mizzell on the depth chart with somebody a little more productive and trustworthy. Somebody familiar to Nagy even.
Spencer Ware is quite the story. He was virtually invisible for the first three seasons of his career but won a Super Bowl in Seattle. He became a nice complimentary piece in 2015 for the Kansas City Chiefs, then exploded for 1,368 yards from scrimmage in 2016 during Nagy’s first year as offensive coordinator. Ware would be a far more capable upgrade to Mizzell.