In the world of “what-ifs,” it doesn’t get any crazier than this one for the Chicago Bears. According to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, star running back and MVP candidate Saquon Barkley turned down two offers with more money to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles last offseason. One of those offers reportedly came from the Bears.
Saquon Barkley Chose Eagles Despite Higher Offers from Bears, Texans
During NFL free agency last offseason, the Bears were rumored to be in the market for a marquee running back. While D’Andre Swift was speculated to be a target, many Bears fans hoped the team would pursue New York Giants star RB Saquon Barkley.
Speculation intensified when HBO’s Hard Knocks aired a scene showing Giants GM Joe Schoen reacting to a text that read, “Chicago is driving up the price and Philly is out. I don’t know if that’s true or not. I’ll make a couple of calls.” The message referenced Barkley, sparking buzz about the Bears’ potential push for the star.
Dunleavy recently confirmed that both the Bears and the Houston Texans were contenders for Barkley before he ultimately signed a three-year, $37.75 million deal with the Eagles, a much better value compared to the Bears’ decision to sign Swift for three years, $24 million.
What Could Have Been
Saquon Barkley is a game-changer. But he wouldn’t have experienced the same type of success if he were on the Bears this season. Everyone was predicting that No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams was walking into arguably the best situation any rookie QB has ever had in the history of the NFL when that turned out to be false.
The glaring hole everyone missed was the Bears’ inadequate offensive line, to put it in the nicest possible way. It was subpar, and Barkley wouldn’t be in the MVP conversation if he decided to sign with the Bears.
As for the Bears, Barkley is an obvious upgrade over D’Andre Swift, but at least the Bears made a serious offer for the star running back. However, Swift hasn’t lived up to expectations, and the focus shifts to the Bears adding competition either through free agency or the 2025 NFL Draft.
Options for the Bears’ Backfield in 2025
The Bears aren’t expected to pursue high-profile running backs in free agency, but there are several affordable options worth exploring, including Cam Akers, Patrick Taylor, and Elijah Mitchell.
The NFL Draft, however, presents a more intriguing opportunity. With one of the deepest running back classes in recent memory, the Bears could find excellent value in the middle rounds. Names like Cam Skattebo, Ollie Gordon, and Quinshon Judkins stand out among a deep pool of talent.
So if the Bears want to move off from Swift and find their running back of the future, there will be options this upcoming offseason.
