Former Bears Scout Pinpoints The Ideal Jordan Howard Successor

The Chicago Bears draft plans may have to be a bit more conservative than normal in 2019. Such is the price paid for making two big trades last year for Khalil Mack and Anthony Miller. GM Ryan Pace has no regrets about those two moves. Still, he knows the challenge ahead of him. Not only does his team have just five picks in total this April, but neither of them is in the 1st or 2nd rounds. This narrows the field considerably in terms of potential options to fill their needs. The good news is the Bears don't have many pressing needs. Still, the goal of every draft is to find at least one or two talents who can be long-term contributors at a high level. This year is no different. It's a matter of where they should direct their attention. Former team scout and current analyst for Pro Football Weekly Greg Gabriel examined each of their primary need position. Sitting at the top was running, where the ongoing questions regarding the fate of Jordan Howard remain unanswered. If the Bears do move on, he has the ideal replacement in mind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkrt6LkE-xo

Darrell Henderson could offer the Bears many things Jordan Howard can't

It turns out that Gabriel is calling for a second trip down to Memphis where Miller's former teammate Darrell Henderson chewed up the competition last year. He amassed a ridiculous 2,204 total yards from scrimmage with 25 touchdowns and is somebody who is everything the Bears seem to covet in a running back.

"Matt Nagy would love the ground game to be better than it was a year ago. Jordan Howard had a good year with over 900 yards rushing, but his average per carry went way down. He may not be the fit that I thought he was a year ago, as the Bears would like more explosiveness at the position. The best RB fit for the Bears offense, in my opinion, is Memphis' Darrell Henderson. I don’t think there is any way he will be available when the Bears select at the bottom of the third round, but you never know. He is quick, fast, explosive and an excellent receiver."

Ironically, NFL.com compares him to Atlanta Falcons running back Tevin Coleman who just so happens to be a free agent this year as well. There is no doubt he's a legitimate home run hitter who can hit it big every time he touches the ball. The concerns are he may not have the size or durability to handle a featured role in the NFL. There are also questions about his vision and his natural running instinct. These aren't deal breakers in the slightest. Henderson could be viewed as a bigger version of Tarik Cohen, which is essentially what the Bears want. There's no telling how creative Nagy could get with him in the fold. Sadly unless they find a way to move up, the odds of getting the chance are remote.