Chicago Bears Expected To Pursue Notable Free Agent RB

Ben Johnson isn't your normal offensive wizard. Most people expect a mad scientist who wants to throw the ball constantly, lighting up the scoreboard with his quarterback. Johnson is not that guy. Yes, he enjoys crafting a good passing attack, but one constant that stood out with his offenses in Detroit was how well they ran the ball. In three years, the Lions ranked 11th, 5th, and 6th in rushing. This came from a great combination of excellent offensive line play and two tremendous running backs in David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.

It's safe to say the Bears have a lot of work to do before they reach that level themselves. The offensive line needs a ton of work in the coming months. One could argue they need four new starters, but more likely three. A tougher question is what to do at running back. D'Andre Swift isn't going anywhere. He is still a valuable weapon, but is Roschon Johnson enough to complement him? Former Pro Bowler Maurice Jones-Drew doesn't think so. He sees the Bears going after some help in free agency.

There is even a name he has in mind.

"Williams never lived up to his full potential in Denver. He had his best campaign as a rookie in 2021 (903 rush yards on 203 carries) but was unable to build on that over the next three seasons due, in part, to a knee injury suffered in 2022. He could use a fresh start after averaging fewer than 4 yards per carry under Sean Payton over the past two years -- and Ben Johnson's offense in Chicago feels like a great fit. The newly hired head coach will presumably be looking for a new version of Sonic and Knuckles (a.k.a. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, the backfield duo who helped Johnson field a top-six rushing attack in Detroit in each of the past two seasons). Williams could recreate that chemistry with D'Andre Swift, whom Johnson also worked with in Detroit."

The Chicago Bears would be taking a calculated risk.

Javonte Williams was a 2nd round pick in 2021 for the Broncos after a stellar junior season at North Carolina. He flashed that same potential as a rookie but was undone by a knee injury just four games into his next season. Once Sean Payton arrived in 2023, it seemed like he never quite found his groove again. He was highly touted in college, drawing comparisons to former Pro Bowler Kareem Hunt. While he was known for a powerful build that made him dangerous in short yardage, it was his violence as a runner that made him someone other teams hated facing. That type of player is what the Chicago Bears need paired with Swift. The problem is he may not be that player anymore. He hasn't been the same since the knee injury.

If nothing else, this means he would likely be cheap to get. Swift was already expensive. There is no way Ryan Poles would sink more big money into that position. If Williams can recapture some of that old juice, he would be a welcome addition.