The Matt Forte-era in Chicago is officially over. It was expected that the 30-year-old offensive centerpiece would depart this year as the Bears commit to roster transition under Ryan Pace and John Fox.

Forte will be missed, but the Bears are in good shape at running back.

Jeremy Langford was one of the better rookies during the second half of the 2015 NFL season, regardless of position. He made field-flipping splash plays and gave Bears’ management and fans a glimpse at the explosive future the offense could have with No. 33 getting more touches.

In addition to Langford, Ka’Deem Carey maximized his limited opportunities with the ball, showing a knack to lower his shoulder and drive through contact.

Both Langford and Carey were drafted by the Bears in the fourth round; Langford was the 106th pick overall last year while Carey was the 116th pick overall the year before. In terms of team investment, both running backs entered the league with similar value.

In 2015, Langford carried the ball 148 times for 537 yards (3.6 ypc) and 6 TDs, adding 22 receptions for 229 yards and a score. Carey had 43 carries for 159 yards (3.7 ypc) and 2 TDs to go along with 3 receptions for 19 yards.

While their stats appear similar on a per-touch basis, it’s Langford who is expected to have a much larger role next year. The reason why is simple: juice.

Langford proved that he is a one-touch talent; he can score at any time from any place on the field. Carey is not nearly as quick or explosive, instead relying on natural running instincts and churning pistons for legs; and while Carey’s instincts are certainly a plus, his lacking athletic traits render him tailor-made to be a change-of-pace short-yardage runner.

At times last season, Langford didn’t look ready. He ran without much of a natural feel, banging into the back of his offensive linemen without the patience or vision required to let the play develop. That’s due — in part — to his limited time at the position; he entered the NFL with 579 college carries after being converted from defensive back and wide receiver in East Lansing.

Carey, on the other hand, had nearly 200 more collegiate totes and has always been a running back. He was a prolific high school standout before his time as a Wildcat and, simply put, is further along in his positional ‘training’ than Langford is.

Despite his relative inexperience, Langford offers more versatility to the offense. He has a chance to become one of the NFL’s best pass-catching running backs and will give new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains a true three-down running back to utilize in the offense’s game planning. He’s also a tough and physical player in pass protection who, at times, played like a veteran when taking on blitzing linebackers in 2015. Carey, despite his experience, seems a bit behind Langford in that department.

Carey will still have a valuable role, as I expect him to get the nod in short-yardage situations. He runs with very good pad level and has a ‘want-to’ that is hard to find. He has a chance to become a fan favorite with clutch conversion carries. Fantasy football players may not like that, but it’s all about who can convert the critical power plays. I think Carey has the edge there.

The biggest benefit to having both Langford and Carey in place next season is the fact that they are both young and energized players who will compete for carries. Competition tends to get the best out of guys, and the battle in Chicago’s backfield will be no exception.

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Langford will turn 25 next season (in fairness, at season’s end); Carey will turn 24. No matter which running back ends up being the guy, the Bears appear ready to hit the ground running in 2016.