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Why Chicago Bears Backfield Renion with an MVP Appears Unlikely

Ian Wheeler won UFL MVP after his Bears exit, but Chicago still looks like an unlikely reunion fit because of roster need, scheme and opportunity elsewhere.
Gene Chamberlain|
Former Bears running back Ian Wheeler scores a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field.
Former Bears running back Ian Wheeler scores a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field. | David Banks-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

When Ian Wheeler played for the Bears, it led to an emotional moment for a national TV audience and eventually his departure from Chicago.

Now it's worth wondering whether they might be interested in bringing him back to Chicago, although the more accurate question might be whether he would even be interested in returning. The reason his name even comes up is his sudden semi-celebrity status as the MVP of the United Football League championship game, after a season when he wound up fourth among all rushers in the spring league.

Wheeler ran for 81 yards on 10 carries in Saturday's UFL championship win by the expansion Louisville Kings, 27-20 over the DC Defenders. His touchdown put the Kings up for good.

The Bears cut Wheeler after last training camp when they decided they liked the combination of D'Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai, Roschon Johnson and Travis Homer better. Eventually, because of injuries, they added Brittain Brown to the practice squad and he made five carries for 37 yards during the season.

Wheeler in last Bears training camp was trying to fight back from an ACL tear suffered in the final 2024 preseason game against Kansas City after he had impressed the team throughout training camp and preseason as a potential undrafted free agent signing out of Howard. HBO captured the moments after his injury on Hard Knocks, when his mother came down to the locker room after team medical officials had assessed his situation. It was probably one of the two most poignant moments of that season's series, the other being when GM Ryan Poles had to tell safety Adrian Colbert that he was being cut.

Wheeler was around the team throughout 2024 doing rehab and then tried to make a comeback last training camp. He didn't appear as fast, powerful, or decisive as before his 2024 injury and was cut. The 24-year-old back may have merely needed the extra time to regain the speed/power aspect of his game because all were present in the UFL season.

The Saints picked him up for their practice on Nov. 25 last year after the Bears had waived him, and then released him a week later. He wound up going into the UFL and had an excellent season, with 371 yards on 68 attempts and six touchdowns. He was second in yards per carry (5.46) and in rushing TDs. He had scored two TDs rushing in a 33-6 Bears preseason win over Buffalo prior to his injury to first gain notoriety.

However, a reunion wouldn't appear to be something in the cards for Wheeler. It's always possible. Still, here's why it wouldn't happen.

1. There are 30 other teams

The Bears had their chance with Wheeler, and so did the Saints. There are 30 other NFL teams who could sign the UFL MVP and he might have a better roster chance with many of them. He would be more likely to sign elsewhere than return to one where they told him he wasn't wanted.

2. Ben Johnson's offense

The Bears initially signed Wheeler as an undrafted free agent to fit in Shane Waldron's offense. Now Ben Johnson is in charge and saw no reason last year why they could use Wheeler. The Bears are looking for specific fits with their offense. It was a theme to their draft this year and obviously in their undrafted portion of free agency. They already determined Wheeler wasn't a fit.

3. UFL

Playing well in the UFL doesn't necessarily mean your NFL material. The competition level is much lower. The athletic ability of the defensive players he's facing is lower. Only 12 UFL players made the 53-man opening-day NFL rosters last year and half were kickers, punters, or long snappers. It's not exactly a breeding ground for success. In fact, Detroit's Jacob Saylors was the only running back from the UFL to even make a practice squad by opening day.

4. Need

If the Bears were going to add a back, it would need to be someone bigger and with good grasp of the passing game. Wheeler has little experience as a passing game contributor and he is also 206 pounds. That's about the same size as Kyle Monangai and Brown. What they lack is someone in Roschon Johnson's size range to give him a battle for his roster spot. Johnson is 227 pounds and more of a power back. The Bears could use a back who is bigger, powerful and runs through tacklers more than they could another smaller, speed guy. No one besides Johnson is over 207 pounds. They already have signed speed backs Salvon Ahmed and Coleman Bennett. Neither hits 200 pounds.

The Bears found another back similar in size to Wheeler last year in Brown and he's already on the roster. They're not starting up a collection of smaller running backs from other leagues.

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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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