Bear Digest

Has Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson found another Jahmyr Gibbs?

Breakaway threat as running back, return man and wide receiver has trip scheduled to Halas Hall among his 30 visits.
Gene Chamberlain|
SMU's Brashard Smith tries to elude a Penn State tackler in the open field. Smith said he has a 30 visit with the Bears coming.
SMU's Brashard Smith tries to elude a Penn State tackler in the open field. Smith said he has a 30 visit with the Bears coming. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

It's obvious why SMU running back Brashard Smith might appeal to Bears coach Ben Johnson.

Smith ran a 4.39-second time for the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, a few ticks slower than Jahmyr Gibbs did before coming to the Detroit Lions when Johnson was their offensive coordinator.

The Bears have slated Smith for one of their 30 visits to Halas Hall, he told reporters at the SMU pro day.

Smith realizes he wouldn't be an all-around threat but a change-of-pace back who plays extensively in the passing. He weighed only 194 pounds at the NFL combine and is 5-10.

That type of role is one Smith would have in about any NFL offense, and it's fine with him.

"I feel like that role is the biggest role now, I feel like," he told reporters at the combine. "Nowadays in the NFL you have to have a back that can catch and run out of the backfield. I feel like that's just the new wave of running back now."

Smith's lack of real experience is probably his biggest problem. He was at Miami for three years and barely played.

He had only 253 rushing attempts in four seasons for 1,509 yards and 235 of the runs for 1,332 yards came for SMU in his last year. He had 14 of is 15 career touchdowns then.

There is quite a difference in skill level involved in comparing him with Gibbs, who ran a 4.36 40 and was chosen 12th overall in 2023. The consensus big board for NFL Mock Draft Database says Smith will be a sixth-round pick. His stock did climb after his combine performance.

Smith ranked 15th in the nation in runs of 15 yards or longer with 21 last year.

If you're going to be a receiving back, you need catches and at least in this regard he was used by Miami in his first three seasons. He caught 108 total passes for his career, 69 for 770 yards with the Hurricanes. Last year he had a career-high 39 catches for 327 yards at SMU with four of his eight career TD catches.

Smith also said he has 30 visit with the Texans, Vikings and a local visit with the Cowboys.

The Bears are thought to be interested in adding another back, possibly their headliner. They have De'Andre Swift under contract for two more seasons and there is no easy-out in his contract until after 2025.

If Swift is cut this year before June 1, they'd take about a $10.8 million salary cap hit. If he's cut after June 1, the Bears would eat $8.7 million and realize only a $610,000 cap savings. The one out available is if they traded him. They would realize about $4 million in cap savings before June 1 and $6.7 million after June 1 according to Overthecap.com.

If they drafted both Smith and another back, it wouldn't say much for Swift's chances of sticking around long in Chicago beyond this season.

It's also possible they'd be thinking of Smith for the return game.

Smith had 53 kick returns in college for a 24.4-yard average and led the ACC in kick return average at 29.0 for 20 returns in 2023. He has returned only five punts.

While this wouldn't exactly be another speedy kick returner via the U like Devin Hester was, it would be via the U by way of SMU.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.