The Chicago Bears spent the first few weeks of March beefing up the offensive line to protect Caleb Williams, and the team could look to add a running back in the first round of the NFL draft to further surround its young quarterback with talent.
Chicago has some flexibility with the No. 10 pick after spending like it did in free agency and via trades to add two offensive guards, a center, a defensive end and a defensive tackle. The Bears could trade back to amass more draft capital or move up to get into the game for star running back Ashton Jeanty.
The latter option, or staying at No. 10 and selecting one of the other members in a deep class at the position, appears all the more likely following comments from Bears running backs coach Eric Bieniemy on current starting running back D’Andre Swift.
“Now, more than anything, we’ve got to make sure that he understands that he can find four and a half [yards] between the tackles, but also hit the home run when he needs to,” Bieniemy said on the Wednesday, March 26 edition of the “Bears ETC” podcast.
Ben Johnson Has Already Shown That D’Andre Swift Is Replaceable
GettyChicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift.
Swift started off his initial season with the Bears in 2024 slowly. And even after coming on in the latter portion of the campaign, he still produced a career-low of 3.8 yards per attempt.
Chicago inked Swift to a three-year, $24 million contract coming off a Pro Bowl year with the Philadelphia Eagles the season prior.
Swift will need to up his efficiency to provide the Bears’ offense with a reliable and feasible alternative to Williams and the pass game, which defenses must respect for Ben Johnson’s scheme to work effectively.
But even if Johnson believes that Swift can be that kind of producer as RB1, his history both with Swift and as the Detroit Lions‘ offensive coordinator over the past three seasons indicates that Johnson may look hard at an elite RB talent early in his first draft as a head coach.
Johnson was a meaningful voice in the Lions’ decision to trade Swift to Philly after his third year in Detroit. The franchise replaced him with Jahmyr Gibbs, the No. 12 overall pick in 2023. The duo of Gibbs and David Montgomery made Detroit one of the NFL’s most effective rushing attacks, which made QB Jared Goff’s job simpler and helped the Lions win back-to-back NFC North Division titles in 2023 and 2024.
Bears Will Likely Need to Trade Up for Ashton Jeanty
GettyBoise State running back Ashton Jeanty.
Chicago is primed for the same kind of offensive shift, and Jeanty is the ideal candidate for the job.
However, most prominent draft analysts project Jeanty will come off the board to the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 6. Both the New England Patriots (No. 4) and Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 5) may be open to a trade with the Bears for the right price, depending on how the draft shakes out in front of them. For instance, the Patriots would be far less likely to do a deal should pass rusher Abdul Carter or cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter fall to No. 4 because two teams select quarterbacks prior to New England’s pick.
What exactly the price to move up might be is hard to say, though it wouldn’t be unlikely that one, or even both, of Chicago’s two early second-round picks (Nos. 39 and 41) might be required. If the Bears don’t want to spend that draft capital, other quality options like Omarion Hampton of North Carolina should still be available at No. 10.
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