The Bears’ resounding Thursday night win against the Commanders, which broke Chicago’s 14-game losing streak, came with a price. As Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports, running back Khalil Herbert will miss multiple weeks after suffering an ankle injury in the victory over Washington. Per Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, Herbert sustained a high ankle sprain and could land on injured reserve.
While Herbert’s rushing attempts this year have been somewhat limited by game script and the fact that quarterback Justin Fields carries the ball a great deal, he has played at a high level. He has 272 rushing yards on 51 carries — good for a strong 5.3 yards-per-carry average — and has added 10 catches for 83 yards and a score. The Bears’ offense came to life against the Broncos and Commanders over the past two games, and Herbert has performed especially well in both contests. In Chicago’s narrow loss to Denver in Week 4, the 2021 sixth-rounder recorded 18 carries for 103 yards and added four catches for 19 yards and a TD.
Denver and Washington are both fielding porous defenses at the moment, but Herbert’s play is in keeping with the ability he demonstrated over his first two years in the league as a backup to David Montgomery. Now with 283 NFL carries to his name, Herbert has maintained a career 5.1 YPC rate and has proven himself worthy of an RB1 role.
The Bears are also rostering talented rookie Roschon Johnson, who has 25 carries for 122 yards (4.9 YPC) and 11 receptions for 53 yards in 2023. Unfortunately, as Pelissero notes, Johnson is dealing with a concussion, and Travis Homer is battling a hamstring ailment. As such, free agent acquisition D’Onta Foreman — who has accumulated just five rushing attempts this year — could be in line for a larger role in the short-term.
Pelissero reports that Chicago, in an effort to fill out its RB depth chart, has signed running back Darrynton Evans off the Dolphins’ taxi squad. Evans, a 2020 third-round pick of the Titans, was waived by the Bills during final cutdowns in August and joined Miami shortly thereafter. He has not appeared in a game in 2023, but he has familiarity with the Bears, having played in six contests for the club last season.
Jordan Howard, David Montgomery, Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, Bears are terrible at everything and I hate being a fan, but we sure can pick mid-late round RBs
… And with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, the Chicago Bears select….
Don’t forget the second overall pick too lol
Darrynton Evans = Such is the life of an NFL Gypsy RB:
Drafted #93 (3rd Round) by the Titans in 2020.
While with them 3 different stints on Injured Reserve.
Waived by the Titans on 3/2022.
Picked up by the Bears.
Waived by the Bears 8/2022.
Signed to the Bears Practice Squad 8/2022.
Promoted to the Bears active roster 11/2022.
Bears allowed him to become a free agent.
Signed with the Colts as a free agent 3/2023.
Waived by the Colts 5/2023 and released.
Signed with the Bills as a free agent 7/2023.
Released by the Bills 8/2023.
Signed with the Dolphins Practice Squad 8/2023.
Signed off the Dolphins Practice Squad to their active roster by the Bears10/2023,
SO:
Nashville, TN to
Chicago, IL to
Buffalo, NY to
Maimi, FL to
Chicago, IL
Darrynton is keeping his bags packed…..
And chasing that dream
Lol
This injury was 100% Josh Fields fault. Had he thrown a halfway decent pass Herbert would not have had to bend backassward in an effort to catch it.