Chicago Bears playmaker could be in for offense’s biggest bounce back year

Other than being linked consistently to Ashton Jeanty ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears have done very little to upgrade at running back this offseason.

Sure, the Bears chose Kyle Monangai in the seventh round of April’s draft, and the former Rutgers standout has generated some buzz this spring as a potential contributor on offense, but it appears that the backfield could be status quo in 2025 from the 2024 season.

However, in a season with lofty expectations thanks to head coach Ben Johnson’s arrival and a hope that quarterback Caleb Williams makes major strides in his second season, running back will likely be a position of focus this summer leading into the 2025 campaign kicking off.

The case for Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift bouncing back

The Bears prioritized signing running back D’Andre Swift in the early moments of free agency in March 2024, and the veteran’s first season in Chicago was relatively underwhelming.

However, over at Pro Football Focus, Dalton Wasserman put together a list of each team’s top bounce-back candidate for the upcoming season, including Swift for the Bears.

“There were serious questions earlier this offseason about D’Andre Swift’s standing in Chicago,” Wasserman points out for PFF. “After a difficult first year. However, the Bears didn’t make any splash moves to replace him, and he now reunites with Ben Johnson while running behind a revamped offensive line. Though it came on a relatively small sample of carries, Swift posted a career-high 83.2 rushing grade in 2022, his final season in Detroit. His familiarity with Johnson and the Bears’ offensive line upgrades should set the stage for a more efficient 2025 campaign.”

Swift rushed for 959 yards and six touchdowns, second-most of any point in his career, but the Bears may need more from the 26-year-old this season.

Given Swift’s familiarity in Johnson’s system, and the arrivals of veterans Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson up front, the pieces could be in place for Swift to put up a career year for the Bears.

“Now, more than anything,” Bears running backs coach Eric Bienemy recently told reporters. “We’ve got to make sure that he understands that he can find four and a half [yards] between the tackles but also hit the home run when he needs to.”

Meanwhile, if Williams makes major strides, which could lead to a more robust role in the passing game for Swift, who caught 42 passes for 386 yards last season.