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Should Bears Sign Jordan Howard off Eagles Practice Squad?

The Bears lost Lamar Miller when Washington signed him off the practice squad, so there is an opening and apparent need for another back.

The Bears lost a runnnig back Wednesday but there is one available if they wanted to bring in someone with experience within the offense.

The alternative at running back they lost was Lamar Miller, who was signed off the practice squad by Washington.

Miller had signed with the Bears Oct. 5 after rehabbing a torn ACL suffered in preseason of 2019 while he played with the Houston Texans.

They needed extra backs because Tarik Cohen suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Week 3.

When David Montgomery suffered a concussion against Tennessee, Miller got a chance to move up from the practice squad for the first time and played in the Nov. 16 game against the Minnesota Vikings but did not get a carry. He caught in for his first Bears action but did not get a carry. He caught two passes for 6 yards.

They still have Ryan Nall and Artavis Pierce backing up Montgomery and Cordarrelle Patterson, so it might not be necessary to sign another running back.

Among free agents currently available: Jordan Howard, former Bears starter.

Howard is currently on the Philadelphia practice squad. He left the Eagles for Miami in free agency and then was cut by the Dolphins in November. He returned to Philadelphia Nov. 23.

The Eagles have protected him in two different weeks on the practice squad, so they apparently wouldn't want to lose him. If the Bears signed Howard, they would need to put him on the regular roster.

Under normal circumstances, Howard wouldn't work well coming back to Chicago after the Bears had traded him to Philadelphia for a sixth-round draft pick prior to the 20219 season.

However, with a shortage at the position and with Howard familiar with the offense, he'd be a decent add to the practice squad to at least finish out the season.

The Bears drafted him in 2016 in the fifth round out of Indiana. He ran for 3,370 yards on 778 carries in three seasons and was one of only two backs in the NFL who gained 900 yards in each season from 2016-2018, but Bears coach Matt Nagy said he didn't fit the type of system they're now running. 

Ironically, the Bears have gone to more running with the quarterback under center and using more stretch plays and outside zone blocking. Both were Howard specialties.

Ultimately, signing a player who they didn't want before makes little sense but if the Bears got more desperate for backup help at running back it should be an option to explore.

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