D'Andre Swift Sends Clear Message About His Future With the Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears have a number of key offseason decisions ahead, and one of the most interesting will be at running back.

The Bears could save $7.5 million in salary-cap space by moving on from Swift, which would appear like an odd decision after the year the veteran running back put together for the the NFC North champs.

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It'll be at least a few weeks before we learn Swift's fate. Until then, we know where the Bears' RB1 wants to be.

Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift (4) runs after the catch. | David Banks-Imagn Images

"I have no idea, but hopefully I did enough for them to want me back because I know I don't want to go anywhere else," Swift said, via the Chicago Sun-Times. "I hope it plays itself out that way. I love the city, I love the coaching staff and the men that I work with. That's out of my control, but if I had it my way, I'd be back. I don't want to play nowhere else."

That's pretty direct, isn't it?

Swift's 2025 season helped stabolize the Bears' offense as it transitioned under coach Ben Johnson. While the emergence of rookie Kyle Monangai gave Chicago a physical complement in the backfield, Swift remained the explosive element. He was a mismatch in space and was a viable weapon for Caleb Williams in the passing game.

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Swift ran for a career-high 1,087 yards and nine touchdowns.

The Chicago Bears enter the 2026 offseason with a much tighter salary-cap situation than in recent years. With significant guarantees already committed to key veterans like DJ Moore and Montez Sweat, general manager Ryan Poles must weigh the cost against the benefits of keeping Swift around.

If the Bears decide to move on from Swift, the running game will be handed over to Monangai as the team's top ball carrier. Poles would likely add a complementary runner via the 2026 NFL Draft, although Chicago continues to be a team connected to Kenneth Walker in free agency.

We know one thing for sure: if the 2026 offseason ends with D'Andre Swift in another uniform, it won't be because he wanted out.

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