David Montgomery went down with a groin strain in practice on Wednesday. The timing is truly unfortunate as the Chicago Bears are starting to see their opener against the Lions in Detroit on the horizon. Expectations were for the second-year running back to be their featured guy. Now with him sidelined for what could be up to eight weeks depending on severity? They're in a considerable bind.
As of now they have four options on the current roster. Tarik Cohen is still a weapon by not a guy who can give 15-20 carries per game. Ryan Nall is a bigger back but has only played a handful of snaps in his career. Artavis Pierce is an undrafted rookie. Cordarrelle Patterson is a converted wide receiver. Not exactly a reassuring group.
This is why many expect GM Ryan Pace to evaluate the landscape and sign some help. The Bears had veteran C.J. Prosise in for a recent visit. Former Pro Bowler Devonta Freeman is still available as is Jeremy Hill, who had 29 TDs his first three years. It isn't an ideal array of options. Then again, if the Bears are willing to be patient they may have a lot more pretty soon when teams start cutting down their rosters.
Names the Chicago Bears could pursue in coming weeks
Jerick McKinnon (49ers)
McKinnon was a dynamic threat out of the Minnesota Vikings backfield for four seasons. Expectations were he'd become a star in San Francisco under Kyle Shanahan. Unfortunately, a torn ACL ruined his opportunity and he's spent the past two years trying to recover from it. Now finally healthy, he finds himself in an overcrowded backfield boasting an expensive contract. It doesn't feel like San Francisco has enough room for him anymore.
Royce Freeman (Broncos)
For the past two seasons, Freeman has been the steady #2 guy behind Denver star Phillip Lindsay. He expected to continue in that role this year. That is until the Broncos signed veteran Melvin Gordon. Suddenly his spot on the roster seems a little more dubious. While not dynamic, Freeman is a tough, hard runner who fights for extra yards and has some versatility.
Wayne Gallman (Giants)
The Giants have a star in Saquon Barkley and signed Dion Lewis this offseason to complement him. That has left Gallman in an awkward spot. He's not a special teams guy and doesn't fit a traditional type of third-string back. Nobody would call him a great option but he's a big, sturdy runner who proved at Clemson he can handle a heavy workload.
Jonathan Williams (Lions)
Though he may have signed with Detroit, Williams doesn't have the best odds of making the roster. The team already had Kerryon Johnson and just drafted D'Andre Swift on top of that. They also like Bo Scarbrough. Williams isn't a 3rd down back. He's a pure throwback runner. Feed him the ball and he can wear down a defense. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry for Indianapolis last season.
Lamar Miller (Patriots)
Miller missed most of 2019 with a knee injury. When healthy though the veteran has been a steady and dependable runner for both Miami and Houston. The Patriots signed him a few weeks ago but belief is he's unlikely to make the final roster ahead of others. If that proves true, he has the sort of versatility that would fit well in the Chicago Bears offense.
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