David Montgomery is carrying himself like a man who demands respect. Something that others seem unwilling to give him despite his strong second season in 2020. The 24-year old views himself as one of the best running backs in the NFL. He has put that statement on camera multiple times. His talk with head coach Matt Nagy during minicamps illustrated this. Some don't even see him as a top 20 guy. That is fine. He'll just use that as fuel to show everybody how wrong they are.
It seems the media isn't alone in their ignorance of Montgomery either. ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler
polled several executives and coaches around the NFL with a simple question. Who are the 10 best running backs in the NFL right now? Not only did the Bears' starter fail to crack that list, but he also didn't even get the courtesy of an honorable mention.
Top 10:
- Derrick Henry
- Alvin Kamara
- Dalvin Cook
- Nick Chubb
- Christian McCaffrey
- Saquon Barkley
- Ezekiel Elliott
- Aaron Jones
- Joe Mixon
- Josh Jacobs
Honorable mentions:
- Jonathan Taylor
- Clyde Edwards-Helaire
- Kareem Hunt
- Miles Sanders
There is no question this has to sting. Especially considering Montgomery actually outproduced a few names listed above last year. Sanders had fewer total yards and touchdowns. So did Edwards-Helaire. Barkley and Mixon both got surprising placements on the list despite failing to even finish the season due to injuries.
Montgomery survived bottom 5 quarterback play and a banged-up offensive line to still post over 1500 yards from scrimmage and score nine touchdowns. What does a guy have to do for a little recognition?
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David Montgomery has the look of a man on a mission
In terms of power and balance? He has that figured out. The lone remaining part of his game that he lacked was breakaway speed. So the running back has spent the past two offseasons working with a specialist on that problem. The results have been noteworthy. As a rookie in 2019, he had just three runs of 20 yards or more. Last season? That improved to five. If recent updates are true and his 40 time has improved to 4.4 seconds? This could be the best season of his career.
The Bears have made a
concerted effort to help him. Their work along the offensive line has involved a consistent pattern. They've sought big and powerful blockers known for their mean streaks. Teven Jenkins is the primary example. Together with a returning
James Daniels, the blocking could be a lot better than it was last year. Combine that with (hopefully) improved quarterback play from
Andy Dalton and
Justin Fields?
David Montgomery has everything set up to thrive in 2021. It comes down to whether head coach Matt Nagy will feed him the ball. Something that isn't entirely clear what with new arrivals like Damien Williams and Khalil Herbert hoping to eat into his touches. Much of it will come down to how much the Bears feel okay leaning on Montgomery. Knowing him? If it were his choice he'd carry the ball every play. Load the wagon and let's go.
