Gus Edwards is looking to prove he’s still got something left in the tank.
Known for his punishing downhill style and red zone reliability, the veteran running back turned 30 in April, and he has yet to sign with a new team.
Scott Bair of Marquee Sports Network thinks Edwards is the type of bruising back Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears might want to consider.
“Johnson’s all about creating competition and bringing someone like Gus Edwards in would accomplish that goal,” Bair wrote on July 11, addding:
“He’s big and physical and can create yards after contact. The Bears won’t keep more than four running backs so the veteran addition would have to play special teams, but he could push the unit overall and add some physicality to the group.”
A Brief Look Back at Edwards’ Career So Far
GettyThe Chicago Bears should consider signing RB Gus Edwards.
Edwards entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and immediately showcased a bulldozer-like running style with the Baltimore Ravens.
His rookie season, he finished with 718 yards on 137 carries (that’s 5.2 yards per carry) with two touchdowns. Over the next two years, he remained consistent—711 yards (5.3 YPC) in 2019 and 723 yards with six rushing TDs in 2020.
He missed his entire 2021 campaign due to a torn ACL he suffered during practice just days before the season started. He returned to play nine games the following year in 2022, netting 433 yards on the ground.
Edwards’s role saw a notable uptick in 2023 when he became Baltimore’s primary back following an injury to J.K. Dobbins. He finished with 810 yards and a career-high 13 rushing TDs, also hauling in 12 passes for 180 yards.
He spent last season with the L.A. Chargers and didn’t seem to fit in well, netting 365 yards and four touchdowns in 11 games (six starts). The Chargers released him in March of 2025 to clear cap space.
In total, across six NFL seasons, Edwards has amassed 3,760 rushing yards on 800 carries (4.7 YPC) with 30 touchdowns, also snagging 33 catches for 380 yards.
Why Gus Edwards Could Be a Good Fit With the Chicago Bears
Chicago’s current backfield is led by D’Andre Swift, a dynamic, dual-threat with speed. Roschon Johnson, like Edwards, is a bigger back at 6-foot and 225 pounds, and he’s in line for Chicago’s RB2 job. Rookie Kyle Monangai, a seventh-round pick with some underrated juking skills, will also be competing for snaps.
Adding Edwards to the mix would give the group more power and another good set of hands out of the backfield.
At 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds, Edwards brings an undeniable physical presence. His track record of goal-line production—especially his 13 TDs in 2023—shows he can thrive in a committee role, closing drives while Swift and Johnson rotate.
Moreover, Edwards’s experience in winning systems—most notably Baltimore’s run-heavy offense under John Harbaugh—brings leadership and maturity to a Bears squad still developing its identity. As a proven veteran, he’d add depth, professionalism and reliability.
After his release from the Chargers, he likely wouldn’t command much, and he could give the Bears a low-risk, high-reward option in free agency.
Edwards wouldn’t need to be the star in Chicago, just the closer. In a backfield built around speed and versatility, his physicality might be exactly what the Bears need to finish drives and control the clock when it counts. We’ll see if Chicago has any interest.
