If you’re looking for the face of Chicago’s offensive collapse through two miserable weeks, don’t point at rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. Don’t point at Ben Johnson’s play-calling. Don’t even point at the receivers who can’t separate when defenses know what’s coming.
The finger belongs squarely on D’Andre Swift, the so-called “feature back” who’s playing like a guy running with bricks in his cleats. And the numbers don’t just suggest it — they scream it.
Chicago is leading the NFL in yards before contact per rush (1.89). Translation: the offensive line is doing its damn job. The Bears are creating free yards up front, opening holes, moving bodies. But here’s the sick twist—despite that advantage, Chicago is dead last in EPA per rush and 26th in yards after contact per rush. That’s not bad luck. That’s D’Andre Swift turning filet mignon into dog food.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: Swift’s Historic Inefficiency
Let’s get the raw numbers on the table:
- 116 yards on 29 carries (4.0 YPC) through two games.
- Just one explosive run (15+ yards), a 20-yarder against his old team, the Lions.
- Already one lost fumble, continuing a career-long trend of ball security issues.
EPA? Trash. Success rate? Fourth worst among qualified backs. Yards after contact? Tenth worst.
This isn’t a guy just having a bad stretch. This is historically inefficient football. Chicago could’ve brought in a replacement-level street free agent, and odds are they’d get similar (if not better) production.
And here’s the real problem: Swift isn’t creating anything. A 4.0 YPC average looks passable until you realize nearly half of that is gifted to him before he’s even touched. The guy is running in a league-best situation and producing league-worst results. That’s malpractice at running back.
Vision Problems: Swift’s Career-Long Kryptonite
If you’ve followed Swift since Georgia, this shouldn’t shock you. His vision has always been questionable, but now it’s glaring.
Scouting reports once praised his “burst” and “playmaking,” but the tape always hinted at a guy who struggled to see the field clearly. He hesitates at the line, bounces plays outside when the A-gap is wide open, and flat-out misses defensive flow.
That’s why Chicago can lead the league in yards before contact but be last in EPA. Swift’s hesitation and bad reads neutralize everything his line creates. He’s wasting perfect blocking situations with indecision and panic.
The Workload Paradox: More Carries, Less Juice
Swift truthers will say, “But he’s always had efficiency!” Sure — when he wasn’t asked to carry the load.
- Detroit (2020–22): 4.7 YPC on limited carries.
- Philadelphia (2023): 4.6 YPC on 229 carries.
- Chicago (2024): 3.8 YPC on 253 carries.
You see the pattern? The more you give him the ball, the less he does with it. He’s not a bell cow. Never was, never will be. He’s a change-of-pace guy who needs a complementary role. Chicago ignored that reality and is paying for it with an offense that can’t establish the run, can’t set up play-action, and can’t bail out a rookie QB.
Ryan Poles’ Massive Draft Failure
And here’s where the knives come out — because Swift shouldn’t even be in this position.
Ryan Poles sat on his hands during one of the deepest running back drafts in recent memory. He waited until the 7th round to take Kyle Monangai out of Rutgers, missing out on quality running backs early in the draft while players like Ashton Jeanty were already gone. Hell, the Bears even tried to trade up for TreVeyon Henderson and failed. But trying and failing doesn’t win you games.
This is what happens when your GM drafts scared. Poles’ track record at RB is embarrassing — Roschon Johnson in 2023 (ineffective), no real investments since. The guy builds offensive lines like a champ, then hands them over to backs who can’t do anything with them. That’s like buying a Ferrari and filling it with 87 unleaded.
The Domino Effect on Chicago’s Offense
Swift’s ineptitude isn’t just a running back problem — it’s nuking the entire offense.
When your run game ranks dead last in EPA, here’s what happens:
- Play-action loses bite – Defenses don’t respect it.
- Short-yardage crumbles – You can’t trust your back to move a pile.
- QB development suffers – Caleb Williams has to carry more weight than any rookie should.
Chicago’s 0-2 start isn’t all Swift’s fault, but his inability to capitalize on elite blocking is a massive anchor. Ben Johnson’s playbook thrives on balance and explosive plays — Swift provides neither.
Historical Context: This Is Who Swift Is
The most frustrating part? None of this is new.
- His missed tackles forced % has fallen from 26% early in his career to 13% last year.
- His career YPC (4.3) on 875 carries is below the standard of a top back.
- His best season came in 2022 — on just 99 carries.
This is who Swift has always been: a limited, complementary back who looks good in flashes but crumbles under volume. Chicago bought the lie that he could be a featured weapon, and now they’re paying for it in wasted possessions, stalled drives, and an offense that’s falling apart at the seams.
Final Verdict
D’Andre Swift’s 2025 start isn’t a slump — it’s confirmation. Confirmation that he’s not built to be a workhorse. Confirmation that his vision problems are fatal flaws, not minor hiccups. Confirmation that Ryan Poles gambled and lost big by refusing to upgrade at the position when it was staring him in the face.
The Bears lead the league in blocking efficiency and are wasting it on a back who doesn’t see holes, doesn’t break tackles, and doesn’t scare anyone past the line of scrimmage. That’s malpractice in roster construction.
Swift is who he’s always been: a role player. And until the Bears stop pretending otherwise, their offense will continue to suffer for it.
