The Chicago Bears running backs struggled to produce on the ground last season. The Bears finished in the bottom ten of the league in yards per carry. They wanted to do something about that in the off-season, and that’s exactly what happened. In free agency, they went out and signed former Seattle Seahawks running back. Unfortunately for Bears fans, that meant trading away former Pro Bowler. Howard was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2020 second-round pick. In the 2019 NFL draft, they selected Iowa State’s. Montgomery, to go along with Davis and, will be battling it out for touches this season. Let’s take a peek at the Chicago Bears running backs in 2019.

David Montgomery Impressing at Bears Rookie Mini-Camp

Rookie minicamp just got underway a few days ago, but the Bears top selection is already turning heads. When speaking about Montgomery head coach Matt Nagy didn’t shy away from saying how impressed he was with the Iowa State product. “He’s extremely focused when he’s in practice, which I love. He’s very dialed into whatever his assignment is. He loves being out here.”

We’ve seen many rookie running backs make a big impact over the past few seasons. Guys like Howard, Nick Chubb, and Kareem Hunt all made major contributions during their inaugural seasons despite being taken on day two of the draft. This could end up being the case for Montgomery. If he continues to impress the coaching staff at rookie minicamp and continue that into OTAs and training camp, he could be the bell cow for the Bears.

Mike Davis Could Have Major Role

Davis showed a lot of promise in Seattle. The problem was that he always seemed like the third option. The Seahawks had the luxury of having three good running backs at their disposal. They were led in the backfield by Chris Carson, who rushed for over 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns in his second season. Seattle made a shocking selection in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft, selecting Rashaad Penny from San Diego State. In his rookie season, Penny was good in limited touches, rushing for over 400 yards on 85 carries.

Letting Davis walk signified that they wanted to give Penny more of an opportunity. That’s when the Bears swooped in and gave him a two-year contract. Davis should have a larger role than he did with Seattle. However, with three talented running backs on their roster, it’s going to be tough to feed everyone. Davis could end up having limited production as he did in Seattle, but it’s too early to tell. Like Montgomery, if Davis is able to impress the offensive coaching staff this summer, he could be leading the Bears backfield on opening night, when they take on the Green Bay Packers.

Tarik Cohen’s Versatility

Like I said above, Cohen is the Swiss army knife of the Chicago Bears offense. The North Carolina A&T product is a gadget type player who displays insane agility and shiftiness with the ball in his hands. He’s very similar to how Tyreek Hill is with the Kansas City Chiefs. The “Human Joystick” enjoyed a better sophomore campaign compared to his rookie year. He rushed for over 400 yards while catching 71 balls for 700 yards to go along with eight total touchdowns. In addition, he racked up a Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro nods as a return specialist.

There’s no question that Cohen will have a large role in the offense. He could have an even bigger role in the run game this season. The coaching staff has expressed interest in giving more carries to Cohen, and allowing him to make a huge impact on the game. Whatever the case may be, it’s going to be exciting to see Cohen get back out there and see him try to improve from last year.

Last Word on the Chicago Bears Running Backs

There’s no question that the Bears have an extremely talented group of running backs. The problem will be how Nagy decides to handle who gets touches. Could he deploy the hot hand strategy, and give the guy who’s performing the best the most touches? Could he use a running back by committee, and give all three guys equal touches? Who knows what’s going to end up happening, but the Bears will definitely look to improve their run game from last season.

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