Bear Digest

Bears' interest in former NFL rushing champ confirms Chicago's offseason plan at RB

The Chicago Bears recent interest in a past NFL rushing champ proves their interest in adding competition for D'Andre Swift is very real.
Bryan Perez|
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The Chicago Bears are considered the favorites to select Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, in large part because there's no doubt new head coach Ben Johnson isn't the biggest D'Andre Swift guy.

Sure, Johnson has publicly given 'Swifty' a vote of confidence throughout the offseason, but he was part of the Detroit Lions' offensive staff that traded Swift to the Philadelphia Eagles and drafted Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round of the 2023 draft.

That same Lions team also signed David Montgomery in free agency.

The point? The Bears' current running back room won't be the running back room by the time training camp rolls around, and we're beginning to see more evidence of that.

According to ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, the Bears were in on Kareem Hunt, the 2017 NFL leading rusher who's had a solid career despite off-field issues that nearly derailed it.

Hunt decided to return to the Kansas City Chiefs on a one-year deal, but Chicago was in the mix.

Hunt finished the 2024 season with 728 yards and seven touchdowns. It was the first season of his second stint with the Chiefs after five seasons with the Cleveland Browns where he served as Nick Chubb's primary backup.

Hunt will enter the 2025 season with a real chance to be Kansas City's starting running back. He outperformed Isaiah Pacheco in the latter part of the regular season, and the fact Andy Reid wanted him back for another run suggests there's a legitimate plan for him.

Had Hunt landed in Chicago, he likely would've competed with Swift for first-team reps. Hunt, 29, wouldn't have represented a long-term option for the Bears, but the fact they were even considering him says a lot about their lack of confidence in the current depth chart.

I fully expect the Chicago Bears to select a running back with one of their first three picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. Jeanty and North Carolina's Omarion Hampton are realistic options in the first round, while TreyVeon Henderson (Ohio State) and Kaleb Johnson (Iowa) are attractive second-round prospects.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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