Sensational Mind Blowing Revelation At A Surprising Position For The Bears

The narrative surrounding the Chicago Bears’ running back room this offseason hasn’t been pretty. With talk of the group lacking top-tier talent and fans speculating about potential outside additions, the perception has been that this is a position in need of serious help. But a surprising turn of events is currently unfolding at Halas Hall. According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, two names are beginning to silence the doubters: running backs Roschon Johnson and seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai.

Roschon Johnson and Kyle Monangai Shining in Camp

GettyKyle Monangai #25 of the Chicago Bears takes part in a drill.

Breer highlighted Johnson and Monangai in a recent training camp report, noting the strides both backs have made early in camp.

“Roschon Johnson, a 2023 fourth-round pick, has started to look more like the player the Bears evaluated coming out of Texas.” Johnson, who showed flashes in college behind superstar Bijan Robinson and throughout his first two seasons in Chicago, is starting to put it all together.

He’s always been praised for his leadership, toughness, and pass-blocking skills, but what’s catching eyes now is the assertiveness and efficiency with which he’s running the football. Johnson is beginning to show, with the help of improved coaching, why the Bears drafted him in the fourth round.

But perhaps the bigger surprise of camp is Monangai. A seventh-round flier out of Rutgers, he wasn’t expected to impress right away. However, Breer describes him as a revelation, someone who has already showcased “vision, feel and strength better than expected, to pair with the contact balance that was there on college tape.”

That contact balance was Monangai’s calling card in college, where he led the Big Ten in rushing yards with 1,262 yards in 2023 and consistently bounced off tacklers for extra yards. The fact that his other traits, such as anticipation and decision-making skills, are already evident is a massive development for Chicago’s offense.

A huge shoutout to new Bears’ running backs coach Eric Bieniemy, who appears to be an A+ hire for the team thus far.

No Need to Look Elsewhere for Help at Running Back

All offseason long, the running back room was a point of concern. With the Bears expected to draft an RB early in the 2025 NFL Draft, the team pivoted after missing out on Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson in the second round and waited till the seventh to draft Monangai.

This led to fans being puzzled over the Bears’ lack of investment in a position that, at the time, felt like it lacked a true playmaker. Now, it feels like people were quick to judge the running back room.

D’Andre Swift hasn’t even been mentioned yet, who is in line for a monster season in Ben Johnson’s new offensive scheme. And with Johnson/Monangai emerging as legitimate options in the backfield, the Bears don’t even have to look elsewhere for help.

They’ve already invested draft capital into the position over the last two seasons, and the early returns suggest they may have found value picks in both players. The Bears don’t need to chase headlines or make a flashy trade in the backfield. They just need to continue developing what they already have.

If Johnson and Monangai continue to trend upward, the Bears will have found answers in some unexpected ways.