Bear Digest

How Khalil Herbert Rates for Bears

Is Khalil Herbert a possible Bears starter at running back if David Montgomery doesn't come to terms, or could a rookie fit better?
Gene Chamberlain|
How Khalil Herbert Rates for Bears
How Khalil Herbert Rates for Bears

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Chicago Bears

One of the great questions facing the Bears is whether to sign unrestricted free agent running back David Montgomery to another contract.

Second contracts for running backs can be tricky maneuvers because of the injury risk and short careers many have—the average for a back is only 2 1/2 years. Expecting one to reach the end of eight or nine years in the league on a second contract is often wishful thinking.

At the moment, all we have to go on about the future is GM Ryan Poles' comment about finding common ground in talks with Montgomery.

"He’s part of the identity that we had this year that kept us competitive," Poles said. "Now, the second part of that is just the contract situation. That’s something that we’ll see how that goes and if we can find common ground."

It was also a term he used describing the failed contract talks with Roquan Smith.

If the Bears decided they wanted to go another direction, they do have Khalil Herbert signed for two more seasons. If they used a Day 2 pick on a back in the draft, they might be able to use Herbert as a starter until the new back could start or split time on an even basis.

Or stats might suggest Herbert could be a good choice as starter right now rather than as a bridge to someone else.

Herbert is a rare back in that the more carries he has been given, the higher his average yards per carry. When he was asked to simply fill in a few carries a game he proved far less effective.

In three starts and another six games when he either relieved an injured Montgomery or got more carries than anyone else because he had the hot hand, Herbert averaged 5.12 yards per carry with 153 rushes and 784 yards.

When he has just been asked to provide a few carries in order to give Montgomery a rest during a game, he averaged 4.8 yards per carry with 79 runs for 380 yards in 21 games.

Herbert owns a career rushing average of 5.0 yards per carry for 232 attempts. In Montgomery's first 232 attempts, he averaged 3.7 yards.

It's true the threat of Justin Fields running on zone read plays helps open things up for Herbert, but they ran RPO last year and the year before for Montgomery and he averaged 3.8 yards and 4.0 yards.

If all the starting running back needed to do was carry the ball, then it would be easy to plug Herbert in as starter every week ahead or Montgomery or just move on from their current starter.

However, there's more to the game. There is receiving and pass blocking, and Montgomery excels at both while Herbert hasn't been as good of a blocker and has struggled in the passing game. Having a back who can do all three makes the Bears offense less predictable.

For that reason, it might be best for the Bears to keep Herbert in his current role.

Finding a replacement for Montgomery in college is even more difficult in the passing game. No college running back last year caught more than 55 passes. Northwestern's Evan Hull made 55 and was the only back among the top 148 in caught passes.

Montgomery has been a solid pass blocker. If you go by Pro Football Focus grades neither was poor. Montgomery ranked 24th of 60 graded and Herbert was only 29th without many reps at it.

Montgomery appears much better equipped to handle blitzers or stunts at 5-11, 224 pounds to Herbert's 5-9, 212.

What Herbert hasn't shown is the ability to gain the tough inside yards the way Montgomery has. It's an important skill but one a rookie could handle if given the chore.

Either way, replacing Montgomery with a draft pick and moving on with Herbert as the starter for this season would be a tough call and there is no easy answer to it.

The best answer might be it depends on what back you replace Montgomery with in the draft.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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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.

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