Khalil Herbert

Bengals, Bears Agree On Khalil Herbert Trade

November 5th, 2024 at 7:44am CST by Sam Robinson

Rumored to be on the trade block, Khalil Herbert will be on the move on deadline day. The Bears are trading the veteran running back to the Bengals, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.

The Bengals, who lost Zack Moss to a neck injury that caused him to miss Week 9, will send the Bears a 2025 seventh-rounder, Pelissero adds. This is a rental move, as Herbert is in a contact year, but it is certainly notable for a Bengals team not known for in-season moves. Moss’ injury prompted the Bengals to call around on RBs over the past week, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. Moss is expected to miss the rest of the regular season, Pelissero and NFL.com colleague Mike Garafolo report.

This marks only the second time in 52 years the Bengals have acquired a player in-season. They did so in the Carlos Dunlap trade four years ago, adding O-lineman B.J. Finney. But Mike Brown‘s franchise is deviating from its M.O. to help a team that entered the season with high expectations.

Herbert had fallen out of Chicago’s RB rotation, playing behind free agent signing D’Andre Swift and 2023 draftee Roschon Johnson. Although the Bears do not profile as a true seller due to their 4-4 record, they will give Herbert an opportunity to finalize his free agency case. Herbert had operated as a key Bears back from 2021-23, but he was drafted by prior GM Ryan Pace. Ryan Poles will pick up an asset for a player no longer in the team’s plans.

Rumors about Herbert’s availability came up recently, as the former Kansas and Virginia Tech cog’s Bears role had diminished. Although Herbert heads to Cincinnati after having logged just eight carries for 16 yards this season, the former sixth-round pick played much bigger roles for high-end Bears rushing attacks previously. Herbert helped Chicago’s then-Justin Fields-centered ground game lead the NFL in 2022. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry in 2022, totaling a career-high 731 rushing yards that season. Last year, Herbert gained 611 on the ground, averaging 4.6 per tote.

The Bengals are 4-5 and have a difficult Week 10 assignment — a Thursday Ravens matchup in Baltimore — but they are not believed to be done adding at today’s deadline. Cincinnati continues to push for defensive help, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. The Bengals have regressed significantly on defense, ranking 25th to effectively remove Joe Burrow‘s margin for error on the other side of the ball. With the Burrow-Ja’Marr Chase–Tee Higgins troika perhaps in its final act together, it is understandable Cincy — its reputation for deadline inactivity notwithstanding — intends to explore more trades today.

Herbert will join Burrow and Co., being set to team with second-year RB Chase Brown. Both players came into the NFL with speed-based profiles. Herbert, 26, has a chance to assemble a free agency case with his second NFL team. Brown is signed through 2026, while Moss is attached to the Bengals through 2025. Though, Moss’ two-year, $8MM deal does not feature any 2025 guarantees. The Bears have Swift signed through 2027, and Johnson’s rookie contract goes through 2026.

Bears G Nate Davis, RB Khalil Herbert Receiving Trade Interest

October 23rd, 2024 at 10:16am CST by Sam Robinson

Entering the 2023 free agency period with the most cap space, the Bears added a few starters. Linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards remain locked-in starters, but the other major piece Chicago added last year has not panned out.

Nate Davis did not impress in his first season with the team, and Chicago benched the former Tennessee starter early this season. Still, Davis started for four years with the Titans and may have a bit of value left in a possible trade. Teams have looked into the sixth-year veteran, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler adding the Bears are open to moving him.

Matt Pryor replaced Davis in the Bears’ Week 3 starting lineup, and while the former Derrick Henry inside blocker played most of the team’s offensive snaps in Week 4, he has returned to a reserve role. This is not optimal for a player on a three-year, $30MM contract. Davis is due more than $5.5MM in base salary. Given his Chicago trajectory, the team will need to pay down much of that to move on for a draft choice. A pick-swap deal along the lines of what the Bears fetched for Chase Claypool last year could be relevant here, though injury situations could prompt a team to give up a bit more for a player who had proven himself to be a solid starter in Tennessee.

Davis has 67 starts on his resume; 54 of those came with the Titans. As referenced in PFR’s 2023 free agent rankings, Davis ranked as Pro Football Focus’ No. 14 run-blocking guard from 2020-22 and also slotted in the top 25 in ESPN’s pass block win rate metric in his Titans finale. Football Outsiders charged Davis with allowing an alarming eight sacks in 2022, however, and ESPN classified him as below average in run block win rate. Davis graded as PFF’s No. 58 overall guard last season and ranks 63rd this year.

The Bears, who have Teven Jenkins in a contract year, have been expected to cut Davis in 2025 — if they are unable to find a trade partner now. Chicago has Pryor and Ryan Bates as RG options, though Bates — a player Chicago signed to an RFA offer sheet in 2022 and then acquired via trade this year — has been on IR since mid-September. The Bears also have some tackle depth in Larry Borom, previously mentioned as a trade chip, and rookie third-rounder Kiran Amegadjie. Though, it would be hard to see the team move both Davis and one of its tackles.

Additionally, teams have shown interest in Khalil Herbert, Rapoport mentions. A player who helped the Bears lead the NFL in rushing in 2022, Herbert has been the odd man out this season. Chicago signed D’Andre Swift and has used 2023 draftee Roschon Johnson as his backup. Herbert has logged just eight carries for 16 yards this season. The former sixth-round pick amassed 731 yards in 2022 and 611 in 2023, averaging at least 4.6 yards per carry in each slate. He hit 5.7 per tote in 2022, undoubtedly generating intrigue despite his tumble down Chicago’s depth chart that included roster-bubble status entering training camp.

The Bears are also looking into trading defensive lineman Dominique Robinson, Fowler adds. Robinson started seven games as a rookie and played in 11 as a reserve last season, but the Bears now have Montez Sweat anchoring their pass rush. The team also traded for Darrell Taylor late this summer. A fifth-round pick under contract through 2025, Robinson has not played this season.

In acquiring Claypool and Sweat over the past two seasons, GM Ryan Poles was unafraid to make buyer’s trades from a seller’s position. With the Bears currently 4-2 in a historically competitive NFC North, it will be interesting to see if the third-year front office boss considers selling some ancillary pieces to bolster future draft arsenals.

Bears Likely To Retain RB Khalil Herbert

August 18th, 2024 at 10:54am CST by Rory Parks

Shortly after minicamp ended in June, we heard that Bears running back Khalil Herbert could be on the roster bubble. That is no longer the case, with Adam Jahns of The Athletic (subscription required) noting that Chicago needs Herbert and that his place on the club seems secure.

Just last year, it was reported that Herbert was the frontrunner to take over primary back duties following the departure of David Montgomery. Despite the 2023 offseason additions of D’Onta Foreman and Roschon Johnson, Herbert was the obvious candidate for the job, as he showcased high-end potential as Montgomery’s backup in each of the prior two years. During that time, Herbert tallied 1,164 rushing yards on 232 carries (over 5.0 yards per attempt) and six TDs.

Herbert, 26, did indeed open the 2023 campaign as Chicago’s RB1, but given the rushing prowess of former quarterback Justin Fields and the fact that the Bears suffered double-digit losses in each of their first thee games of the season, he totaled just 23 totes in that span. He unfortunately sustained a high ankle sprain in Week 5 and landed on injured reserve as a result.

He reclaimed his starting job near the end of the season and posted two 100-yard performances in Weeks 16 and 17, displaying the burst that the club had become familiar with. The Bears knew, however, that they would be drafting QB Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, and as part of their efforts to surround Williams with as much talent as possible, they signed RB D’Andre Swift to a three-year, $24MM contract in March.

The addition of a Pro Bowl running back, plus the continued presence of Johnson and Travis Homer, made Herbert a potential cut or trade candidate earlier in the summer. However, Herbert is still cheap — the 2021 sixth-rounder is making just over $1MM this year, the final year of his rookie deal — he has just 364 career carries, and he managed to post 4.6 yards per attempt last season despite an ankle injury and despite playing on a below-average offense.

As Jahns notes, this may be Herbert’s last season with the team. Nonetheless, the club clearly plans to contend in 2024, and as such, it makes plenty of sense to retain a talented, inexpensive back who can serve as one more weapon in an offensive attack that suddenly looks quite dangerous (depending, of course, on Williams’ development).

Latest On Bears RB Khalil Herbert

June 21st, 2024 at 2:41pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bears’ decision to let David Montgomery depart in free agency last offseason created a vacancy in the backfield. During the summer, signs pointed to Khalil Herbert taking over starting duties, but he could find himself in a much different roster situation in 2024.

The latter showed plenty of potential in 2022 with an average of 5.7 yards per carry. In Montgomery’s absence, Herbert logged three more carries in 2023 than he did the season prior, but his efficiency saw a notable decline (4.6 yards per attempt). Now entering the final year of his rookie contract, Herbert may need to use training camp to solidify a spot on the depth chart.

Adam Jahns and Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic note the 26-year-old could be on the roster bubble this summer (subscription required). With the Bears having been one of the most aggressive RB-needy teams in the league during free agency this offseason, Herbert’s path to a starting role has been eliminated. D’Andre Swift had a career year with the Eagles in 2023, and he parlayed that into a three-year, $24MM deal. The former Lion will be expected to handle a heavy workload in Chicago.

The Bears also have veterans Khari Blasingame and Travis Homer as depth options to consider alongside Swift, Herbert and Roschon Johnson. The latter was selected in the fourth round of last year’s draft, and he racked up 561 scrimmage yards while logging a 40% offensive snap share. Johnson could be in line for an uptick in usage, something which could come at the expense of Herbert’s opportunities.

The former sixth-rounder played a full season as a rookie, but he has missed a combined nine contests since then. Herbert served as the Bears’ kick returner in 2021, averaging 24.1 yards per return that year. After not seeing any special teams usage last season, Herbert’s ability to secure a spot could be tied to his third phase experience. As Jahns and Fishbain unsurprisingly note, much of the team’s final decision at the running back spot will likely come down to special teams contributions.

Herbert’s experience could make him attractive depth option if the Bears were to trade or release him, although an acquiring team would be adding him only for the 2024 campaign. Presuming Swift stays healthy and handles RB1 duties, Herbert’s free agent stock would take a hit ahead of a potential departure next spring.

Justin Fields To Play In Week 11; Bears To Activate RB Khalil Herbert From IR

November 18th, 2023 at 1:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

NOVEMBER 18: The Bears made it official today, activating Herbert for the team’s Week 11 matchup in Detroit. It remains to be seen what Herbert’s role will be after he seemed to be firmly establishing himself as the lead back in the two games before his absence. Foreman has had a few decent performances since then while rookie Roschon Johnson has remained a change of pace back and Travis Homer has remained a special teamer.

The activation is the team’s eighth off of injured reserve this year, which is the limit for a season. If any other players are placed on IR, they will be forced to remain there for the rest of the year.

In addition to Herbert’s activation, the Bears announced their standard gameday practice squad elevations for tomorrow. They have selected linebacker Micah Baskerville and outside linebacker DeMarquis Gates to dress up against the Lions.

NOVEMBER 17: The Bears’ offense will see two significant reinforcements in time for Week 11. As expected, quarterback Justin Fields will suit up on Sunday as he was taken off the injury report. Running back Khalil Herbert, meanwhile, will be activated off IR, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes.

Fields has missed the past four games due to a thumb injury, but it was learned earlier this week that Chicago intended to bring the former first-rounder back into the fold. With that now confirmed, Fields can embark on a late-season stretch in which plenty of his post-2023 future will be determined. Recent indications have suggested Fields will need to convince the Bears’ brass – which was not in place when he was drafted – of his worth to avoid having the team draft a new signal-caller in April.

2023 has seen the 24-year-old continue to put up inconsistent numbers, and the thumb injury has added to his missed time. Fields is under contract through at least 2024, though the Bears could add one year to his rookie pact by exercising his fifth-year option this spring. Doing so would represent a sign of confidence in his progression, but the team is slated to have two high first-rounders in April’s draft. That would provide an opportunity to acquire a Fields successor and move on from the Ohio State alum. His play down the stretch will thus be worth watching closely.

Herbert was one of three players the Bears designated for return last week. The others – wideout Equanimeous St. Brown and cornerback Josh Blackwell – were activated, but Herbert was not. The latter will notably represent the eighth and final IR activation used by Chicago this season. While their aggressiveness with using injured reserve as a means of stashing injured players has carried risk, Herbert’s return will be welcomed on the Bears’ offense.

The unit has struggled in a number of categories, although running production has not been one of them. The Bears rank fifth in the NFL with an average of 135 yards per game on the ground, and Herbert sits second on the team with 272 on the year. Free agent addition D’Onta Foreman has taken the lead in that department while logging a heavy workload in Herbert’s absence. It will be interesting to see how the RB snaps are divided with the team’s backfield returning to health.

The 3-7 Bears will aim to ride the return of Fields and Herbert to an uptick in offensive efficiency late in the year. With plenty at stake for the former (along with several members of the coaching staff and/or front office, in the view of many), Chicago will be a team to monitor in the closing weeks of the campaign.

Bears Activate WR Equanimeous St. Brown, CB Josh Blackwell From IR

November 9th, 2023 at 2:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

NOVEMBER 9: Chicago will be the first team this season to push up against the injury activation limit. The Bears are activating St. Brown and Blackwell from IR, though Herbert will not be returned to the 53-man roster just yet. Nevertheless, the team will use its sixth and seventh activations Wednesday, leaving one remaining. That is a bit unusual in Week 10, though we are fairly early into this injury format.

Herbert seemingly is the favorite for that final IR-return activation. Once that happens, any Bear who lands on IR will see his season end. Blackwell and St. Brown join Teven Jenkins, Braxton Jones, Doug Kramer, Khalid Kareem and Kyler Gordon as Chicago’s IR activations thus far.

NOVEMBER 6: The Bears’ backfield could be healthier in the near future. The team announced on Monday that running back Khalil Herbert has been designated for return from injured reserve.

The news means Herbert’s 21-day practice window has been opened. He must be activated within that span to avoid reverting to season-ending IR. The same is true for cornerback Josh Blackwell and wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, who were also designated for return on Monday.

Herbert suffered a high ankle sprain in October, one which was expected to keep him sidelined for an extended period. As a result, his IR stint came as little surprise. His activation will end his absence while giving the Bears another option at the RB spot. The 25-year-old has logged a career-high 10.2 carries per game in 2023, confirming expectations he would see an uptick in usage with David Montgomery no longer in the picture. Herbert has parlayed that into 272 yards, while adding one touchdown and 83 yards in the passing game.

Chicago has dealt with a number of injuries in the backfield recently, but D’Onta Foreman has emerged as the team’s lead back. The free agent addition has logged at least 15 carries in three of the past four games, including a season-high 20 on Sunday. Foreman has averaged 4.4 yards per carry and scored two touchdowns during the start of his tenure in the Windy City, and it will be interesting to see how his workload is affected once Herbert returns.

Blackwell has made 18 appearances with the Bears, and has played primarily on special teams. St. Brown, by contrast, has seen a notable workload on offense (57% snap share last season, 49% in 2023) since arriving in Chicago after three years in Green Bay. His return will be welcomed on a passing attack which has struggled to find consistent success with either Justin Fields or Tyson Bagent under center.

However, the Bears entered today with only three of their eight IR activations remaining. In other words, bringing back Herbert, Blackmon and St. Brown will leave the team without the ability to put any other player on IR which they believe will be able to return later in the campaign. Still, Chicago will have reinforcements on both sides of the ball once the trio is back on the field.

Bears Place RB Khalil Herbert, WR Equanimeous St. Brown On IR

October 13th, 2023 at 6:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bears will be quite shorthanded in the backfield in Week 6 with Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer and Khalil Herbert unavailable. The latter will be sidelined for an extended stretch, though.

Herbert was placed on injured reserve Friday, per a team announcement. The news comes as little surprise, as his high ankle sprain suffered during Chicago’s first win of the season was expected to keep him out for multiple games. As a result of the IR move, Herbert will be required to miss at least the next four weeks.

The 25-year-old saw an uptick in usage early in the 2023 season, as was expected after the free agent departure of David Montgomery. Herbert has averaged 12.2 touches per contest, and he has remained efficient on the ground with an average of 5.3 yards per carry. It will be interesting to see how the Bears divvy up their running back snaps now that Herbert will not be in the picture for the foreseeable future. Darrynton Evans was recently signed off the Dolphins’ practice squad to provide needed depth in the backfield.

The Bears also placed Equanimeous St. Brown on IR Friday. The former Packers sixth-rounder has been in Chicago since last season, operating as a rotational option in the passing game. He has seen a dip in playing time this year (49% snap share), but his absence will be felt given that of Chase Claypool, whose highly underwhelming time in the Windy City came to an end less than one calendar year after his arrival. Bringing back Herbert and St. Brown will require two of the Bears’ seven remaining IR activations.

A pair of those will be used on backup offensive lineman Doug Kramer and starting slot cornerback Kyler Gordon. The latter could return in time for Sunday if he is activated using one of the roster spots opened up by today’s moves. The other one has already been occupied by the return of Nathan Peterman. The journeyman quarterback was released earlier this month, but the expectation at the time was that he would be retained via the practice squad. Peterman will now return to the active roster behind undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent on the depth chart.

Bears RB Khalil Herbert To Miss Multiple Weeks; Team Signs Darrynton Evans

October 8th, 2023 at 8:14am CST by Rory Parks

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.

NFC North Rumors: Tom, Bears, Vikes, Lions

August 16th, 2023 at 1:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

This offseason, Zach Tom loomed as a challenger for either the Packers‘ center or right tackle spots. While it is not known just yet where the second-year blocker will end up, it looks like his playing time will increase. Tom is going to end up starting, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic notes (subscription required). A fourth-round pick out of Wake Forest, Tom started five of the nine games he played last season and saw time at four of the five O-line positions (all but center). Tom did start at center for the Demon Deacons, however, playing there and at left tackle in college. Former second-round pick Josh Myers has been the Packers’ primary center over the past two seasons. Should Tom land at right tackle, Yosh Nijman — whom the team gave a second-round RFA tender this offseason — would be on track to be a backup.

Here is the latest from the NFC North:

The Bears‘ running back race is still too early to call, but The Athletic’s Adam Jahns and Kevin Fishbain posit that Khalil Herbert is the current frontronner. David Montgomery‘s top backup last season, Herbert flashed when available. The former sixth-round pick averaged 5.7 yards per carry, helping the Bears lead the league in rushing. With Montgomery now in Detroit, the Bears have held a three-man competition — between Herbert, UFA pickup D’Onta Foreman and fourth-rounder Roschon Johnson — to replace him. Even if Herbert wins the starter gig, Chicago’s run-oriented attack will likely require regular workloads from multiple backs.
Veteran running back Mike Davis stopped through Minneapolis for a recent Vikings workout, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Minnesota, which is all set to complete a Dalvin Cook-to-Alexander Mattison transition, recently auditioned Kareem Hunt as well. Beyond Mattison, the Vikings roster Ty Chandler (2022, Round 5) and DeWayne McBride (2023, Round 7) as their top backfield options. Davis, 30, spent last season with the Ravens but did not carve out much playing time — even for a team reeling at running back. He fared better with the Panthers and Falcons in 2020 and 2021, respectively, combining for 1,145 rushing yards in that span.
Byron Murphy played a versatile role for the Cardinals, lining up in the slot and outside. The Vikings are planning to capitalize on Murphy’s slot experience, with ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert noting the free agency pickup will move inside when the team shifts to its nickel package. With nickel and dime sets now more common than base alignments, Murphy should be expected to see plenty of slot work in Minnesota.
A 2022 second-round pick, Andrew Booth has not made a strong case to move into the starting lineup alongside Murphy. The Clemson product is running Akayleb Evans, a 2022 fourth-rounder, along with Joejuan Williams and rookie third-rounder Mekhi Blackmon. Williams and Blackmon look to be competing for the CB3 role, The Athletic’s Alec Lewis adds, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling notes the rookie is believed to be ahead of the former Patriots second-rounder. Evans, who played 162 defensive snaps last season, has spent the most time with the first team of this group. The Vikings have rebooted at corner, letting both Patrick Peterson and slot Chandon Sullivan walk in free agency.
Danielle Hunter‘s reworked deal calls for a $20.95MM cap hit, and although this is now a contract year for the veteran defensive end, two void years remain on the deal (Twitter links via Goessling and ESPN’s Field Yates). Hunter’s $3MM in incentives are classified as not likely to be earned, per Goessling. The void years would leave the Vikings with a $14.9MM dead-money hit if they do not re-sign Hunter before the 2024 league year begins. Void years led to the Vikings taking a $7.5MM dead-money hit when Dalvin Tomlinson left in free agency this year.
While Teddy Bridgewater secured $2.5MM guaranteed from the Lions, GOPHNX.com’s Howard Balzer tweets the veteran QB’s Lions deal is worth $3MM in base value. The Lions used a void year, keeping the cap number at $2.66MM.

“Real Competition” Expected For Bears’ RB1 Role

June 25th, 2023 at 10:21pm CST by Rory Parks

The Bears made an effort to retain longtime starting running back David Montgomery this offseason, but Montgomery eschewed the club’s offer and elected to join the division-rival Lions. Chicago then added D’Onta Foreman to the RB room in free agency and selected Roschon Johnson in the fourth round of this year’s draft. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune believes that there will be a “real competition” for the RB1 role, with incumbent Khalil Herbert, Foreman, and Johnson all having a legitimate shot to land the gig.

Herbert, a 2021 sixth-round choice, has flashed plenty of promise during his first two professional seasons, mostly working as a complement to Montgomery. Over 30 games (three starts), Herbert has accumulated 1,164 rushing yards on 232 totes, which represents a sparkling 5.0 yards-per-carry average. He has added 23 catches for 153 yards and has scored seven total touchdowns.

Foreman, meanwhile, has taken a little longer to realize his potential. A third-round pick of the Texans in 2017, Foreman had a decent showing in his first year in the NFL (78 carries for 327 yards and two TDs), but a torn Achilles cut his rookie season short and forced him to miss most of 2018. He was waived in advance of the 2019 season, with poor work habits reportedly accelerating his departure from Houston.

After sitting out all of 2019, Foreman caught on with the Titans’ practice squad in September 2020 and ultimately appeared in six games for Tennessee that year. In 2021, he got his first extended opportunity to shine since he was a rookie, as he carried the ball 133 times for 566 yards (4.3 YPC) as an injury replacement for Derrick Henry.

Foreman signed with the Panthers last March, and following the Christian McCaffrey trade in October, Foreman became Carolina’s feature back. He ended the 2022 season with 203 carries for 914 yards (4.5 YPC) and five touchdowns and was rumored to be a hot commodity should he and the Panthers fail to agree to a new contract before free agency opened this year.

Of course, Foreman and Carolina did not come to terms on a new deal, so the Texas product became a free agent once again. While the suppressed running back market and his lack of receiving prowess limited him to a one-year, $2MM contract with the Bears, he is well-positioned to have a sizable role in Chicago’s offense, even if he is not the official starter.

Johnson, another Texas alumnus, enjoyed a 5.6 YPC average over his four years with the Longhorns. It stands to reason that he would start his career behind Herbert and Foreman on the depth chart, though Biggs believes Johnson’s draft status puts him firmly in the mix to receive the lion’s share of the carries right out of the gate.

The Bears’ heavy investment into their running attack this offseason did not stop at Foreman and Johnson. Chicago also added Travis Homer in free agency, and the club is still rostering 2022 sixth-rounder Trestan Ebner. While Ebner, who carried the ball 24 times for 54 yards last year, would be hard-pressed to earn many rushing attempts if the Herbert/Foreman/Johnson/Homer quartet remains healthy, Biggs believes the second-year pro could nonetheless retain a roster spot due to his receiving and special teams abilities.

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