Different Type of Back as Bears Alternative

The Bears have until Monday to get a deal done with David Montgomery if they want him back.

Then again, he could always get to free agency and find he can do better in Chicago.

The easy alternative for the Bears is the draft at running back but it's not always as easy to replace all the skills a versatile all-around back like Montgomery brings to bear. He pass blocks and catches passes besides gaining the tough yards.

Even though it invariably costs more, the better option might be a veteran replacement. If the Bears lose something Montgomery gave them, the combination of Khalil Herbert and another solid veteran could make up for this.

The veteran most often mentioned atop free agent charts is Philadelphia's Miles Sanders, right with Montgomery.

There is one other versatile back they could turn to who has numbers not entirely unlike Montgomery's. That would be Buffalo's Devin Singletary.

Montgomery has been a real workhorse in his career compared to many backs now in the league. In fact, by today's standards he has been overused. He had 242, 247, 225 and 201 carries each season. Finally the carries dropped last year but one short injury and the rise of Herbert and Justin Fields as breakaway threats did this.

Singletary is comparatively fresher than Montgomery with 151, 156, 188 and 177 carries. The difference here is Montgomery is a much bigger back and able to handle a bigger load. He is 5-11, 224 pounds while Singletary is 5-7, 203.

Even at that size, Singletary last year was given a much higher grade as a pass blocker than Montgomery by Pro Football Focus, both in true pass sets and otherwise.

Montgomery is usually among the better backs in the league at breaking tackles, but last year was the first time Montgomery ever had more yards after contact than Singletary.

As receivers, the two are nearly identical in number of catches, Montgomery with 155 and Singletary 145, although Montgomery has been much better at gaining yards on catches at 8.0 to 6.7 for Singletary.

Where productivity really matters, Singletary has been extremely effective. In his worst season he averaged 4.4 yards per carry. Montgomery has never been above 4.3. Singletary averaged 5.1 yards a carry as a rookie in 2019.

It would be a smaller, different type of back for the Bears but one who has been even more productive per his rushing opportunities and could easily slot in with Khalil Herbert.

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