What can Bears expect from D'Andre Swift? |
Free Agency may not technically start until Friday, but the Legal Tampering period was in full swing on Monday. In what could go down as a historic day in NFL history, when you look at the number of names going to new places, the Chicago Bears seemed to be starting the party as they made a surprising acquisition.
After adding Kevin Byard over the weekend, the Bears shocked the NFL world by not only adding a running back but a very good one nonetheless. Chicago came to terms with Swift, who will be joining the Bears on a three-year, 24-million-dollar contract. The former Detroit Lion and Philadelphia Eagle RB will now be tasked with being the Bears' No. 1 back, and he will try to be just as reliable as David Montgomery was during his time in Chicago. Swift wasn't a name mentioned a lot on the Bears radar, but when you look at why the Bears added him, there was not only a need, but he does a lot of things well that will help this offense. What can the Bears expect from Swift, especially after a career year? One of the first things that stands out about Swift is his dual-threat ability. Not only can he take over the game in the backfield and be a 1000-yard performer, but he has shown great passing-catching ability, which the Bears lacked last season. Don't get me wrong, D'Onta Foreman, Khalil Herbert, and Roschon Johnson made a formidable trio last season, but Swift is miles better than all three of them and will instantly make this RB room better and much deeper than last season. He is also not known as a workhorse back, as last season saw him log a career-high in virtually every statistic category. That means he is coming to Chicago on fresh legs and will give the Bears an explosive back to lean on. Explosive is the keyword, and Swift is one of the better backs at making plays happen. Sure, he has the breakaway speed to outrun defenders, but when you can stop on a dime and make the cuts he can make, it allows him to turn something out of nothing. Considering the Bears' offensive line hasn't always been as good as it could be when it comes to blocking, Swift can at least make up for that by cutting it back and finding even the smallest holes to pick up a few extra yards. At 5-9 and 211 pounds, Smith not only has the speed to outrun a defender but isn't afraid to take on contact and absorb the hit. However, he needs to work on running between the tackles a bit, as he doesn't have the same success as he would when he goes outside. You saw some improvement last season, but Philadelphia had one of the best Offensive Lines in the game, so it will be interesting to see how Swift handles things behind the Bears line, which hasn't been great in recent seasons. Coming off a season in which he rushed for 1049 yards to rank fifth in the NFL, the Bears will finally have that workhorse back they have been missing since Montgomery's departure, which bodes well for the future of this team. Going back to 2022, the Bears had the No.1 rushing offense in the NFL, and Montgomery, Herbert, and Justin Fields played a massive role in that. Losing Montgomery was a bigger blow than people realized last season and the overall results were evident when you look at the rushing stats. Adding Swift will allow them a do-over, as they can build around his offensive strengths. Swift is also one of those players who can make life easier for Caleb Williams or Fields in the offense, as he gives the Bears multiple added dimensions that they may not have had last season. While Swift's signing came out of nowhere and surprised most, this is an instant upgrade over Herbert and Johnson, so you can't be mad if you are a Bears fan. He will allow whoever is under center to operate RPOs while giving them a safety valve in the passing game to make things happen. Swift not only adds more speed to an offense that continues to focus on speed, but he also brings the physical nature that you look for in an NFC North team. Swift also comes from a winning organization in Philadelphia, and he will bring a winning mentality to a locker room that could desperately use it.
