Daniel Jeremiah believes in drafting star running backs — but only at a certain point in the trajectory of a franchise.
He’s also a big fan of Ashton Jeanty, the Boise State star who figures to be the first rusher drafted next month.
“I’m a huge Jeanty believer,” the NFL Network draft analyst said last month. “When it comes to running backs, do you take him high, do you not take him high?
“My theory is you take the running back when you have everything in place that all his carries matter. I just don’t want to give away carries. They only have so many carries in their body, and I want them all to matter and to count for something.”
The Bears have rotated between third and fourth place in the NFC North for the last four years. If they truly believe they’re ready to compete for a playoff spot, then Jeanty could be in play when they draft 10th overall. So could Penn State’s Tyler Warren, who’s considered the best tight end prospect in the draft.
The Bears drafting either sounds counter-intuitive at first. Tight end Cole Kmet has a $11.6 million salary cap charge this season, the seventh-highest on the team. Running back D’Andre Swift’s $9.3 million ranks ninth. Amazingly, though, the Bears boast more depth on the offensive line than they have at either position.
Kmet is the team’s only pass-game threat in front of Durham Smythe, who had nine catches last year, and Stephen Carlson, who hasn’t caught an NFL pass since 2020. Swift leads the depth chart in front of Roschon Johnson and Travis Homer, a duo who combined to average 2.8 yards per carry last season.
This offseason, the Bears’ substantial acquisitions have all come on either the offensive or defensive line. The Bears shouldn’t be satisfied with the skill level or depth they have at either spot. They do have enough, though, to field a starting lineup with players they’ve already acquired.
The Bears signed center Drew Dalman and traded for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson to team with left tackle Braxton Jones, who is recovering from ankle surgery, and right tackle Darnell Wright. Signee Grady Jarrett should slot next to Gervon Dexter at defensive tackle, while defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo, signed earlier this month, will start opposite Montez Sweat.
The Bears could still draft a left tackle 10th overall and challenge him to push Jones out of the way. LSU’s Will Campbell, Missouri’s Armand Membou, Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr. and Ohio State’s Josh Simmons sit atop the tackle class; this week, general manager Ryan Poles and coach Ben Johnson attended Simmons’ pro day, while Poles was joined by running backs coach Eric Bieniemy at Banks’ pro day.
As the Eagles proved, a modern defensive line needs enough depth to substitute like a hockey team. Adding Jarrett and Odeyingbo shouldn’t preclude the Bears from eyeing Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter and Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, should they fall from their projected top-five status.
A draft short on high-end talent has plenty at running back and tight end, too. North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton and Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson, other likely first-round running backs, could pair with Swift to recreate the “Sonic and Knuckles” backfield Johnson assembled in Detroit. Michigan tight end Colston Loveland, whom Jeremiah considers a top-10 player, is a catch-first tight end that might fit better alongside Kmet than Warren would.
Last year, Poles tried to help rookie quarterback Caleb Williams by adding skill position players — he signed Swift, traded for receiver Keenan Allen and drafted receiver Rome Odunze in the first round — but didn’t fix the offensive line.
This year, Poles could do both by drafting a skill position player in Round 1 — but only if he’s convinced the lines are fine. He can’t afford to be wrong again.