Ten Most Important Bears Players: D'Andre Swift |
Having good running backs is familiar for the Chicago Bears as they have been known to have several work horse backs. From hall of famers Gayle Sayers and Walter Payton to the new age backs of Matt Forte and David Montgomery, Chicago is no stranger to having a great RB help the QB by shouldering the load on the ground.
This season should be no different for the Bears as D'Andre Swift (No. 3 ranked Bears player on our list) is set to tack over the RB duties after signing a massive free agent contract this offseason. He comes to the Bears after spending last season with the Eagles, which was his best season to date as a pro. Despite having the best rushing team in the league in 2022, the Bears took a step back in 2023, but injuries did play a role in that. Khalil Herbert entered the season as the team's No. 1 back after Montgomery signed with Detroit and was never able to get into the rhythm the team hoped he could. He then wound up injured for several weeks, pushing the RB duties to D'Onta Foreman and Roschon Johnson as neither of them was able to generate much traction consistently. With Herbert coming back healthy and settling back into the NO. 2 RB role that he had a ton of success with his first two season's, Chicago will once agian have the potential to have one of the best rushing attacks in the league as Swift will be the leading factor for that. Swift was the Bears' first and, most would say, the most significant free agent pickup this offseason, as his acquisition came out of nowhere. He is coming off a season in which he played in 16 games and posted career-best numbers across the board, finishing with 229 carries, 1,049 rushing yards, 5 touchdowns, 39 receptions, 214 receiving yards, and 1 touchdown. There were times when he carried the Eagles offense when Jalen Hurts was struggling to throw the ball, and now he is expected to bring a new element to the Bears offense, something they have been lacking since Forte was in Halas Hall. According to most experts, Swift is expected to be one of the most sought-after fantasy players this season as he could put up even better numbers than last season, which would be a massive get for the Bears. Entering the 2023 season, Swift was traded to the Eagles after the Lions signed Montgomery. He had a bit of a chip on his shoulder, looking to prove some things. Not only did he prove what he wanted to prove, but he became one of the most reliable RBs in the game and showed that he could handle one of the top workloads in the game. This season should be no different as Swift not only signed a massive free agent deal, but is coming into Chicago with the mindset that he needs to prove his worth as a player and to prove he is worth his contract. The former Georgia star had a breakout season last year, and his ability to not only run between the tackles but also be a massive threat in the passing game is something the Bears offense is going to thrive at this season. Not only were his numbers all career highs, but had it not been for the tush push, he would've had even more touchdowns, which in turn increased his overall production. Swift's durability also stands out, as the only game he missed last season was due to an illness, not an actual injury. Given how much of a drop-off the Bears rushing attack showed last season, Ryan Poles made the RB position one of his top off-season priorities and didn't waste too much time addressing it. He landed arguably one of the top, if not the top, RBs on the market, and now he has been locked down long-term to help Caleb Williams and this offense reach their full potential. Not only does he bring a unique skill set to the position that has been lacking in recent seasons, but he becomes the unquestioned starter after the Bears had several different starting RBs last season. He is a three-down caliber back who offers a similar skill set to Tarik Cohen, and everyone saw how valuable he was to the Bears' offense during his time in Chicago. No one is asking him to lead the league in rushing this season. However, if Swift can give the Bears 1000 yards on the ground and play a role in the receiving game, which he should, this offense has the potential to reach a level it has yet to reach since Jay Cutler was at the quarterback position.
