While the Chicago Bears’ running back situation has been a major point of contention all offseason, the franchise’s only real addition was seventh-rounder Kyle Monangai. Training camp will prove if head coach Ben Johnson has enough firepower to work with.
In his final season as Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, Johnson helped the team finish sixth in rushing, averaging 146.4 yards per game. In turn, the Bears finished 25th, averaging 102 YPG. Johnson will have his work cut out for him, but a successful run game will be crucial for his offense to work at max capacity.
At this stage of free agency, there aren’t many premium running backs available. However, a new option has emerged that originally wasn’t even being considered. Former Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills standout Nyheim Hines is looking to make his return from his scary jet ski accident and is ready to come back to football, via Adam Schefter of ESPN.
How Nyheim Hines can help Chicago Bears
Any potential Hines deal comes with a major asterisk. The running back hasn’t played in the NFL since 2022. He is coming back from a serious ACL injury and while he may say he is ready, NFL competition is an entirely different beast. The Bears or any team must be supremely confident that Hines’ medicals check out.
However, if the running back is truly healthy, he could be a force in Chicago’s passing game. He has caught 240 passes for 1,778 yards and eight touchdowns over his five-year NFL career. His best season came in 2020 with the Colts, where Hines tied his career-high in receptions (63) while setting new personal bests in yardage (482) and touchdowns (four).
Of course, that season came half a decade ago. Chicago can’t trust Hines to be an offensive dynamo on his own. However, his pass catching prowess matches up nicely with how Johnson runs his offense. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs caught 52 passes for 517 yards and four touchdowns in 2024. Obviously, Hines is not Gibbs. But it at least shows how Hines could fit into the offense.
The Bears either haven’t liked or haven’t been able to come to terms with any free agent running backs yet. Maybe Hines could be the playmaker Johnson and company are looking for.
Running back room review
As it stands, D’Andre Swift is once again set to lead the running back room. His Chicago debut saw him run for 959 yards and six touchdowns on 253 carries. He received a career-high in touches, yet still averaged just 3.8 yards per carry. If Swift is going to retain his RB1, he needs to be much more efficient in Johnson’s scheme.
To his credit, Swift does carry a pass-catching background with him. He has caught 237 passes for 1,798 yards and eight touchdowns over his five-year career. Johnson could opt to use Swift in a multi-faceted role. However, he likely wants to throw numerous different looks at the defense.
When Swift doesn’t have the ball, Roschon Johnson is currently his directly backup. He matched Swift’s team-leading six touchdowns in 2024. However, Johnson was used in a pure goal line role, earning 55 total carries and 150 yards. He will need to prove to Johnson, the head coach, that he can be a versatile runner to earn a larger role.
Monangai has received plenty of buzz throughout the offseason, despite his draft standing. But for that same exact reason, it’ll be difficult for the running back to earn a large role as a rookie. Still, Johnson clearly sees something in the former Rutgers star.
If the Bears were to add Hines or any running back, their rushing attack plans would change drastically. But Johnson wants to at least see what he has on the roster before making any additions.
