Bears hosted four running backs at Halas Hall |
Dustin Riese
· · 3 hours ago
It's nice to have the Chicago Bears at the center of media attention for all the right reasons. Not only have the Bears been one of the topics of the offseason, but following their exciting win over the Bengals on Sunday, Chicago is now in the thick of the NFC North race, and it is time to give this team more credit.
While they are by no means a Super Bowl contender, at least not yet, just having them in the position they are in has to be refreshing, especially considering what the fans have gone through in recent seasons. Chicago then turned around and made a trade for Joe Tryon-Shoyinka earlier in the day to help the ailing pass rush, but Shoyinka wasn't the Bears' top choice when it came to pass rushing help. According to reports, New York Jets DE Jermaine Johnson was the Bears' top choice at the deadline, but when the Jets requested both a second and third rounder for him, it got to the point where it was too rich for the Bears' blood, which is where Shoyinka fell into their Plan B. That trade wasn't the only move the Bears made on Tuesday, as Chicago brought in four running backs to Halas Hall for workouts as they continue to assess the severity of D'Andre Swift's injury. For the time being, Kyle Monangai will be the Bears' starting back with Brittain Brown holding down the fort as his backup. That eliminates any depth options on the practice squad, which is why the Bears worked out these four players. Should any of them be signed, they would be signed solely to a Practice squad deal, as Ryan Poles continues to remain busy.
The most recognizable name on this list is former Virginia Tech back Raheem Blackshear, who began his career at Rutgers before transferring. The now 26-year-old back broke into the NFL with the Carolina Panthers, picking up 52 carries, gaining 203 rushing yards, and scoring three touchdowns in a limited role. Since then, he has bounced around the league, making stops at the Buffalo Bills (2022), the Tennessee Titans (2025), and the Pittsburgh Steelers (2025). While Blackshear may never be seen as a legitimate back, he could be brought in to help with the Bears' struggling special teams, as he has racked up 66 kick returns and 1,734 return yards on his résumé. He also has 23 punt returns and 200 yards worth of returns in that facet of the game.
A 2021 All-Sun Belt performer with Louisiana, Johnson ultimately transferred to Gainesville, where he finished his career with the Gators. Before arriving in the SEC, Johnson's first two seasons were about as solid as anyone could've hoped for, carrying the ball 162 times, gaining 838 yards, and scoring 12 touchdowns. He then followed that up with another impressive showing with the Gators, a 55-carry, 841-yard, 10-touchdown campaign at Florida in 2022, then tacked on a 152-carry, 817-yard, 5-touchdown season in 2023. He was one of those players who was trending in the right direction, only to have a challenging 2023 season derail all that momentum, as he finished the season with 100 carries, 593 yards, and six touchdowns. Down season or not, that is still an impressive average per carry, which is what helped Johnson land on the Eagles' practice squad to begin the season. He was released on September 9 and is hoping that this time around brings better luck.
Perhaps one of the coolest names in the game, Powell is one of those FCS players who not only put on a show, but comes to the Bears with plenty of potential. An undrafted player in this past spring's draft, Powell wound up latching on with the Eagles before being part of the final round of cuts leading into the season. That alone goes to show he made some impression, and when you look at his success in college, you can see why the Eagles wanted to get the lengthy look at him. A first-team FCS All-American while at Central Arkansas, ShunDerrick Powell ran for 1,343 yards and scored 14 touchdowns. That impressive season came after a solid 1,009-yard, 6-touchdown season in 2023. Powell finished his college career with more than 4,000 yards and 40+ touchdowns. His production alone is worth a look at the next level, as he could be a diamond in the rough.
The final running back on this list is former Pittsburgh Panthers back Israel Abinikanda. A fifth-round pick by the Jets in 2023, Abinikanda is a 5-10, 217-pound battering ram who runs with a certain style of physicality that a lot of backs lack. With six games of NFL experience, all from 2023, Abinikanda has had minimal opportunities, but has still shown out, recording 22 carries for 70 rushing yards, along with seven receptions for 43 receiving yards. He would be the perfect addition to a team that has been struggling with Special Teams coverage, and that alone is something the Bears should focus on going forward. Note, none of these players have officially signed as of yet, but you can bet that at least one of them will land on the practice squad by this weekend.Raheem Blackshear (Virginia Tech)
Montrell Johnson (Florida)
ShunDerrick Powell (Central Arkansas)
Israel Abinikanda (Pittsburgh)
